Animus
by honeydewslush
Summary: Lightis Drabbles. (23) Radiance. [Based on Lightning's Theme in Lightning Returns OST.] {Ages: Serah - 15; Noct & Light - 18.} (Setting: Brotherhood Timeline; Insomnia.) [Tumblr prompt request.]
1. Maiden's Kiss

**Maiden's Kiss**

 _Based on the status ailment cure item._

* * *

Lightning stared at the green amphibian between her two palms.

"Ah, what do we do?!" Prompto panicked as he rummaged through their pack for the third time. "We're out of maiden kisses and remedies!"

Ignis sighed wearily, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "It looks like we'll have to wait for the effect to wear off."

"Might not be anytime soon," Gladiolus frowned, scanning their surroundings. They were deep within Fociaugh Hollow. Returning to the entrance just for a remedy would have wasted their efforts.

It was rather unfortunate. After scuffling with a Naga, the group realized that their prince had turned into a toad.

"I always wondered why the cure was called a maiden's kiss," Lightning remarked and brought Noctis closer so they were face to face. "Shall we test that theory?"

Ignis raised an eyebrow, amused with the idea. "I don't see why not, considering we have no other options."

"And you _are_ a girl," Prompto chirped as if just discovering that she was, indeed, female. The comment earned him a smack from Gladiolus.

The toad froze as he felt four pair of eyes on him. Before he could leap away, the pink-haired Glaive softly pressed her lips against the toad's.

Slimy. Cold. A bit salty. Not entirely unpleasant. From her closed eyes, she sensed a flash from Prompto's camera.

She dropped her hands as she could feel the toad morph into something larger. The sensation pressing on her lips turned soft and warm. The spell was broken as Noctis pulled away.

The Lucian prince stood before her, cheeks as red as a Lucian tomato. As he stepped back, he hid the lower half of his face against his forearm.

"Dammit, Light…" he mumbled in a flustered state. He never thought his first kiss with Lightning would be like this.

"Well whaddaya know," Gladiolus smirked, as he patted the prince's back.

"Interesting," Ignis stated as he jotted down a note in his pad.

Lightning touched her lips with her fingertips. "It actually worked…" she murmured, a bit dazed.

"Whoo-hoo!" Prompto sang as he raised a fist in the air. "Sweet! When I turn toad, can I get a kiss from Light too?"

"Can it," Noctis growled, shoving his Shield off of him. "Let's just go." The group moved forward, deeper into the dungeon as the last of the Trial of Ramuh awaits.


	2. Grilled Wild Barramundi

**Grilled Wild Barramundi**

 _Based on the recipeh, which is Noctis' favorite dish._

* * *

Lightning sat at edge of Neeglyss Pond, patiently waiting for her desired fish to bite. Muffling an unexpected yawn with her palm, she gazed at the early sun's reflection upon the waters.

After a few minutes, she twisted her neck and glanced at the unmoving Coleman tent. There was no doubt that the boys were still asleep. Although, she expected Ignis to be up soon. The two had come to an unspoken agreement, in which the earliest riser will be in charge of breakfast.

Returning her attention to the pond, she reeled in the bait to entice the fish. As she waited once more, her mind drifted off as to why she decided to fish at dawn.

Navyth was an interesting man. An adventurous fisherman who liked to challenge himself by catching unique and rare fish. As Noctis engaged in conversation with the man, she could tell the Prince was intrigued and happy to have met someone who enjoyed fishing as he did.

 _You're… into fishing?_ Noctis had asked, the tone in his voice suddenly became upbeat.

 _Indeed I am,_ Navyth replied with interest. _You, too?_

 _Yeah, I fish whenever I can_ , the Prince eagerly responded.

After receiving a challenge of catching a specific fish, Noctis eagerly grabbed his gear. _Let's fish_.

 _Like a kid in a toy shop_ , Gladiolus teased.

He had caught a Crag Barramundi, but gave it to Navyth as proof for completing his challenge. She could see that Noctis had the slightest reluctance to hand it over. So, she decided herself to catch one for him and make breakfast.

Lightning felt several quick tugs on the rod and immediately began to reel. The Barramundi began to tug back. Feeling tension on the spool, she allowed it to go lax until it stopped and began to reel again. After a few minutes of tugging and reeling, she was pleasantly surprised to have caught a rather large Barramundi.

As she prepared the grill and cleaned her catch, Lightning recalled the time where Noctis taught her how to fish.

It was by a pond at Insomnia Central Park. Noctis wanted to kill some time after school so he had Ignis bring his gear when he picked them up.

 _Have you fished before?_ A 16-year old Noctis asked while removing the jacket of his uniform.

 _No_ , Lightning responded with a shake of her head. She took his jacket, folding and placing it on the nearby bench. Patting her skirt, she sat down on the space next to it.

 _It's fun. I'll teach you_ , he replied, fiddling with his little box of lures. _Now, let's see. I've been wanting to catch a Lucian Carp. But for some reason, they don't wanna bite._

While Noctis was looking for the right lure, Lightning reached into her bag to retrieve her book and read today's assigned material. _Maybe they're picky with their lure… Just like you are with your food._

 _Hey! Can't blame me for wanting meat. I'm a growing boy._ The Prince grumbled as he rolled up the sleeves of his white button down and loosened his tie. _Vegetables are the enemy._

 _Hn_. She gave a soft scoff and turned the page of her book. _It's no wonder I always kick your ass._

 _That may be true, but I doubt the Glaive includes fishing in your training._ Noctis pointed his rod at her, like he would with a sword. _So I'm confident I can kick your ass at this area regarding skills._

 _Are you challenging me?_

 _You can say that._

Needless to say, the Prince was the better fisherman which left the Glaive in a slightly sour mood. He showed her the ropes, as to when to reel in and stop and to what kind of lures to use. Lightning listened attentively and managed to catch her first fish, in which Noctis was very pleased.

She would always remember that soft smile on his face. The way the setting sun shined behind him like a halo, the rare smile, and the rare moment where he was able to relax and forget, at least for an afternoon, his duties as Prince.

As she placed the cleaned and cut fish on the grill, a delicious scent wafted in the air and the sizzling sound was satisfying to the ear. With intuition that the bottom side was cooked, she flipped the Barramundi. After a few moments, she heard the tent unzip and turned around.

To her surprise, Noctis was the first to wake. Eyes still shut, t-shirt wrinkled, and hair as messy as a chocobo's, he stumbled his way to where she was.

"Hey," Lightning greeted, amused. "You're up early."

Yawning and ruffling his bed hair, he perched himself on a boulder and cracked open his sleepy eyes, "I smelled fish."

"At least now I know how to get you up," she chuckled. Giving the fish another flip, she settled it on a plate with some cherry tomatoes and greens. "Grilled Wild Barramundi. Eat up."

The Prince took the plate with thanks. With a forkful of the grilled meat, he popped it into his mouth. In an instant, the fish melted on his tongue and a hint of smokiness permeated his palate.

Lightning watched as his eyes lightened up, now fully awake.

"This is amazing, Light," Noctis praised as he took another large forkful. "It's perfect."

The Glaive felt a small rush of heat to her cheeks. She turned around and began to cook another set for the rest of the boys. "Thanks… and don't talk with your mouth full."

* * *

 **AN** : Thanks for supporting my drabble(s)~ I have more ideas to come~


	3. A Stroll for Two

**A Stroll for Two**

 _Based on the sidequest in Chapter 3 of FFXV._

* * *

Relief spread through the Prince and his retinue. They have finally arrived in Lestallum. The town had been their top priority after receiving word from Iris Amicitia that she and other members of the Crownsguard managed to escape the fallen Crown City unharmed. With additional word that they had a room reserved at the Leville, a decent place to rest was what everyone needed after being on the run for the last couple of days.

"Soft beds, baby!" Prompto cheered as he jumped on them.

Iris giggled, feeling much lighter now that she's seen them safe. "Yup, it must've been tough on you guys."

Gladiolus shrugged, "Camping ain't so bad."

"I never want to see another tent," Noctis mumbled as he cocooned himself in a blanket next to Prompto.

"Stop hogging all the blanket!" the blonde complained, trying to unwrap the Prince.

"But it's cold," he childishly replied.

Lightning sighed as she went to the air conditioner and increased the temperature a few degrees. "Who's bright idea was it to put it so low?"

Ignis ignored their banter and bowed ever so slightly. "We thank you for the accommodations, Iris."

"It's no problem. Besides, it was Dustin who arranged it all. I'll leave you guys so you can rest up." Iris turned to Lightning, "I hope you don't mind us sharing a room, Light."

Lightning smiled softly. "Of course not. I'm grateful I don't have to hear them snore, even if it's only for a night."

"Not me, I don't snore," Gladiolus quipped rather too fast.

There was a muffled snort beneath a blanket. "You're the loudest of us all."

* * *

Noctis yawned as he descended the stairs and to the lobby.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Iris greeted cheerfully.

"Mornin, where is everyone?" When he awoke, seeing Prompto gone was enough to make him feel a bit uneasy. Noctis would usually wake up before or around the same time as him. It was even stranger because, more often than not, Lightning would wake him.

Iris waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, they're out walking with Talcott. They went to see the sights. We should too!"

He shrugged. There was time to kill. "Sure, why not?"

"Great! I'll show you around."

* * *

After showing the marketplace and the power plant, they headed towards the vista point. "Pegglar Outlook. Amazing view, right?" Lifting a finger, Iris skipped and pointed excitedly. "Look! There's the Meteor!"

Noctis gazed at the Disc of Cauthess. The weather was nice enough that he could see it clearly. There were stone pillars that pointed towards the sky. A crystallized structure of the impact site of the Meteor was akin to a stone dropping on water and the splashing that occurs after.

He snapped out of his daze when he felt Iris skip to his side and move closer. "You know, Noct, this almost feels like a date."

The Prince bit the inside of his cheek, carefully crafting his next words. Looking back on this morning's events, the two of them alone, the questions she asked him, the way she walked close to him… He wasn't stupid. He knew that Gladio's sister had certain feelings for him. But, his heart was already spoken for, even before he met Iris. He didn't want to hurt her, so he decided to make light of the situation.

Rubbing his neck, Noctis stepped away slightly. "If it were, your brother would kick my ass."

"We better keep it quiet, then." Iris giggled a bit, then sighed almost solemnly. "And besides, you already have Lightning."

Ever since they were kids, Iris had always seen Noctis with Lightning. Whether at school, at the Citadel or in the city, they were always together. A small part of her had hoped that their relationship was merely of duty. That because Lightning was a Glaive, she was only bound to Noctis because he was a prince. That their relationship would be nothing more.

But as she watched them grow closer over the years, Iris knew that the boy who saved her from trouble was slipping beyond her reach.

Iris shook her head and smiled. "The others are probably back at the hotel by now. Let's join them."

* * *

Returning to the front of the Leville, Iris turned around. "Haven't had fun like this since we were kids. Thanks, Noct."

He smiled and gave her the honest truth. "No sweat. I had fun, too."

"You did? I'm so happy to hear that."

"Heyaz!" Prompto greeted from the lobby's sofa.

Noctis crossed his arms, eyeing the three guys. "Where'd you guys go? Not a word from any of you."

"Thought you two needed some alone time," Gladio winked, while Iris blushed at the comment.

"Young Talcott was showing us the sights," Ignis replied, his nose buried in a magazine.

It was then Noctis noticed a person missing.

"Where's Light?"

With a mention of her name, Prompto grinned like a devious cat. "Oh, Lightning," the blonde said almost mockingly, as if just noticing she was not present. "She's just hanging out with someone."

"Hanging out?" the Prince said rather awkwardly. Lightning does not just 'hang out' with anyone. "With who?"

"Just Talcott," his Shield smirked. "We got back earlier than expected so Talcott asked her if she wanted to go back to the marketplace."

"I'm not following," the Prince said, confused.

"I'm just saying, the kid's got more balls to ask Light out."

Prompto barked and tossed his head back while Iris smothered a laugh. "Gladdy, don't be mean to Noct."

"Cactuar, cactuar!" a young boy's voice sang from afar.

Lightning had her fingers laced with Talcott's. Their hands swinging as they walked to the lobby.

"I didn't know they had a model here in Lestallum!" Talcott had the happiest grin on his face.

The Glaive couldn't help but mirror his smile. "I'm happy we found it." Lightning laughed softly. "You love cactuars, huh?"

"They're the best!"

"Tell you what, whenever I find one, I'll give it to you."

"Yeah! Cactuar!" the young boy did Cactuar's signature move. He was so excited that he hadn't let go of her hand.

"Woah, careful, little man."

Talcott had just noticed he had an audience and flushed red. "Prince Noctis!"

Noctis grinned. The young boy's enthusiasm was infectious. "Hey, bud, what's this about cactuars?"

"We were at the marketplace and Lightning spotted this cactuar model! I told her I love cactuars and then she bought it for me!"

"Oh, that's sweet of you, Light," Iris said softly. It was uplifting to see Talcott happy.

"Well, he's been through a lot," Lightning replied, slightly squeezing his hand.

Prompto snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah. Before I forget, Talcott, go on and tell 'em what you told me."

* * *

"To the waterfall, it is!" Prompto skipped as they made their way to the parked Regalia.

Gladio rolled his eyes. Great. More dungeons. "A sword in a cave behind a waterfall. Sounds exciting."

"You don't sound very excited," Ignis remarked.

"Iggy, you smart ass. Come here!"

Lightning waited for Noctis, growing rather impatient. If they wanted to reach the waterfall before the sun sets, they needed to leave right now. Turning around to drag him, it was apparently not needed as he walked towards her with a stuffed toy in his hands.

"What is _that_?" the Glaive raised an eyebrow.

"It's a moogle doll. A good luck charm from Iris," the Prince stated casually.

From the mention of her name, a question slipped out of Lightning's lips before she could stop it. "So, how was your little date?"

Noctis stopped in his tracks. "Date? With Iris?"

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Who else, Your Highness?"

 _Uh-oh_. Her calling him "Your Highness" usually meant one of two things: she was joking around or she had a bone to pick with him. It seemed like it was the latter.

"Well… it wasn't."

"Really? A stroll for two wasn't?"

Ugh, why does Lightning always win? "Maybe to her, it was. But it wasn't for me."

The Glaive continued to walk silently.

"What about you and Talcott?"

She turned to him, her face portraying utter absurdity. "Don't tell me you're jealous of a child?"

Okay, maybe he was. It was rare to see Lightning laugh and smile like that. Even more rare for her to be holding someone else's hand… even if it was a child's.

Noctis sighed and grabbed her hand. "Yeah, because he made you happy while I hadn't."

Lightning scoffed, her cheeks giving a tint of red. "Silly," she muttered softly before lacing her fingers with his. "You should know by now that I'm always happy when I'm with you."

The Prince squeezed her hand. "I can never win against you."

"Glad you know at least one thing about me."

"You were jealous, too, weren't you?" he asked rather meekly.

"Yeah," Lightning responded nonchalantly. "I was." She eyed the moogle doll for a moment, then shook her head, feeling childish. "I always knew she had a crush on you. You should've seen her last night when she asked me if she could get some alone time with you."

"So you knew," he deadpanned.

"I did."

"Traitor."

"Only for you, Your Highness."

"Hey, lovebirds! Get your assess moving or I'm gonna have to do something about it!" the Shield shouted in public, drawing attention from the people in the square.

Noctis groaned in embarrassment. "Why does he have to do that?"

Lightning rolled her eyes. "He's doing the total opposite of what he should be doing."

"You won't let anything happen to my ass, right?"

"If you do something stupid, then I will." The Glaive smirked at their banter. "Even if it is such a fine ass."

* * *

 **AN:** I just wanted to add some jealous Lightis into the mix and some random banter. By the way, I also take **requests** if any. (This fic **Animus** is (loosely) based on the FFXV game itself. I've played it and I'm up to date with everything. So if you have any ideas and would like to share, I'm very open-minded.) Thanks so much for reading~


	4. Savior of the Species

**Savior of the Species**

 _Based on the sidequest in Chapter 8 of FFXV._

* * *

 _I've been hearin' that people been seein' a pink chocobo around the Vesperpool. Folks say the poor girl injured its leg and she's been nippin' at people gettin' too close. Some hungry critter's bound to come across 'er before long…_

"So, a pink chocobo, huh?" Gladiolus commented, stretching his arms behind his head. "And from what Wiz said, seems like she's got trust issues."

"I don't blame her." Prompto shook his head sadly. "With a color like that, someone's bound to take advantage of it."

Ignis nodded behind the wheel of the Regalia. "If the word has spread to Wiz, then it's highly likely poachers are on the move."

"Then we better find her quick." Noctis said, worried about the lone animal.

With the Regalia parked, the Prince and his retinue began their search in the swampy areas of the Vesperpool Lake, where predators and wild animals alike gathered around. As a cry of _kweh!_ surprised the four males, the source of the sound was found in between the intricate, twisted large tree roots, hunched in the waters and covered in streaks of mud with its pastel pink hue peeking through.

"There it is!" Prompto exclaimed, only to be bombarded with hushes. "Poor thing's hiding from all the predators."

"Alright, slow and steady, guys." Noctis positioned into a crouch and began to move. "We don't wanna scare her off."

The chocobo gave a soft cry, no doubt in pain. Its wings hovered protectively over one of its legs.

"We need to treat her soon." Ignis murmured as they inched closer, while Gladio fished out a potion.

The loud snap of a tree branch alerted the pink chocobo and the glares of three males settled on the blonde cameraman. Prompto cringed as he stepped on it and whispered a _sorry_. With the chocobo now aware of their presence, she squawked in agitation.

"Hey, girl." Noctis cooed, just a feet away. "It's okay, it's okay. We're here to help."

She flapped her large wings in retaliation, sending a strong gust their way. But Noctis stood his ground, determined to show the creature that he meant no harm. He continued to coo in a calm voice and brought out the tuft of gysahl greens. His left hand outstretched towards her with the leafy substance and his right hand wiggled its fingers at Gladio's direction, prompting him to hand over the potion.

"Hey. Heyyyy." He drawled almost in panic as she tried to nip his wrist, ignoring the greens. "Easy. We're here to heal you."

As he now crouched in front of her, the pink chocobo had the prettiest eyes, a mixture of sky blue and a tint of forest green. She squawked one more time, loud and indignant, but Noctis remained calm, knowing that the chocobo would attack him without hesitation at the slightest shift in his emotion.

He continued to wiggle the vegetable and his arm moving in with slow movements. The chocobo began stiffened, however she did not cry out or flap its wings. Instead, she tilted her head, her bright eyes staring directly at his. As the leaf touched her beak, she opened her mouth and proceeded to consume it. Noctis took this opportunity to pop open the potion and heal her leg.

"There we go." Noctis sighed in relief as he stroked her neck. "Good girl."

Travelling back to the Chocobo Post on her back was exhilarating. Either she wanted to show off her new leg or she was just naturally _fast_. Noctis let out a whoop in excitement. He admired the color of her feathers as she ran with the sun beaming down. They washed off the mud at the lake and she had the most unique color.

Much to Prompto's dismay, Noctis hopped on the chocobo while the three of them got into the Regalia and agreed to meet back at the Chocobo Post. As Gladio joked about having a race, the pink chocobo cried out in challenge and sped off. As they arrived at the Post, they were met with the smug smiles of Prompto and Gladio. At Noctis' defense, they lost their way a few times as the pink chocobo was not used to the terrain.

Wiz smiled in gratitude. "Thanks a lot. She'll settle right in." He gently guided her in one of the stalls and settled a basket of gysahl greens on the ground below her. "Since this is her new home, mind givin' a name for her?" The old man grinned.

"Me?" Noctis pointed to himself in surprise.

"Why not? You did save her."

"Uh, well." He drawled, still shocked to have the honor of naming her.

"Oooh, oooh, what about Rose?" Prompto chirped.

"Too predictable." Gladio snorted.

"Perhaps something that reflects her character, Noct?" Ignis suggested.

Her character, huh? He stared at the pink chocobo and once again she held his gaze, almost in expectation. Well, she was strong and fast and seemed to be more independent than the other chocobos. The budding friendship between them was so sudden and new. Noctis never expected to befriend a chocobo today. She seemed to be more independent than the other chocobos. Her stance was taller, her nape straight and taut that was almost militant, and striking.

And suddenly, he knew the perfect name.

"Lightning." Noctis ruffled the feathers on her neck. "Her name is Lightning."

"Lightning?" Prompto said in almost disbelief and groaned. "But that's a boy's name. It should be something cute and feminine like-"

"Shut it." Gladio cut him off then turned to Noctis. "I like it. It suits her."

Lightning softly squawked and nuzzled her head beneath Noctis' jaw.

"Well, it seems she likes it." Ignis smiled.

She continued her soft cries, nuzzles, and cuddles and Prompto couldn't resist fishing out his camera and snapping a couple of pictures.

"Yeah, yeah." Noctis chuckled, patting its head and rubbing his palms all over her. "There you go." She nudged her head against his. "Atta girl."

"O. M. G." Prompto squealed behind the camera. "Most adorable bird ever."

* * *

 **AN:** It's not like I wanted a pastel pink chocobo color in the game so I can name it Lightning... (cries lol) By the way, some of the dialogue does come from the game. Like when Noctis is cooing at the chocobo, UGH, my mind immediately went Lightis. Anyways, sorry for taking so long to put out another one-shot/drabble. My writing chops have been failing me, but I'm sure they'll be back as the new Dissidia game is coming out. OMG guys first Lightis interaction! This ship is sailinggg.


	5. Totomostro

**Totomostro**

 _Based on the betting mini-game in the Arena Galviano Colosseum in Altissia._

* * *

Lightning sighed and tried not to send Noctis a glare. She crossed her arms, worried if she didn't she might have throttled him for losing 300,000 gil. "Well, there goes our money for the Fine Caviar Canape." In her mind, she waved goodbye to the expensive dish she had been wanting to try. _Well, you can't have everything._ She thought dejectedly.

"It's not so 'fine' anymore, isn't it?" Ignis said coldly as he pushed his glasses from the bridge of his nose. Due to some unknown phenomenon (or maybe it was from the setting sun, Noctis will never know), Ignis' glasses were shiny, making it unable to see his eyes and for that, the Prince was grateful.

However, he winced at his adviser's tone, as if a frosty wind had passed by. "Shit, Iggy." He turned to look at them apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Light." He _knew_ how much Lightning and Ignis wanted to try the caviar canape and he had gambled it all away.

While the three of them sulked in the corner, the other two were in a happier mood. While Prompto and Gladio only bet a few thousand gil, their earnings were better than nothing and they took this chance to rub it in.

Prompto laughed, his fingers forming into guns. "Hah and the Prince of Lucis fails!"

"More like-" Gladio paused for dramatics and snickered. "- the Prince of _Losing_."

As the two laughed in an almost evil manner, Noctis mumbled in defeat. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want." Damn, he thought for _sure_ that Coeurl was going to win.

His royal adviser shook his head, but felt no pity towards his highness. "There is a saying: 'Gambling is the son of avarice and the father of despair.'" Noctis felt a twist in his gut, like someone had stabbed him.

"There's also another one." Lightning said, this time taking her turn. "'There is no better gambling than not to gamble.'"

Ignis hummed in agreement. "That is a rather good proverb."

"I have more." She said and the two continued to talk as if Noctis wasn't right next to them. "'There are two great pleasures in gambling: that of winning and that of losing.'"

"Ah, well said."

"Will you two shut up." He stated depressingly, it wasn't even in the form of a question. He didn't need his adviser and his Glaive to take turns stabbing him. His pride was in tatters as it is.

"Alright." Lightning sighed and gave Noctis a determined look, her eyes shining at the challenge. He knew it well and the scenario always played out to her favor. "We'll get that money back."

"You're going to bet?" He asked her, unsure if this was a good idea. If she were to play and lose, they would only have enough money for a night's stay at the Royal Suite in the Leville.

"Yeah, I think I'm pretty good at this." She replied, twisting her neck. "I've actually been betting in my head and, so far, I've gotten everything right."

"Then why didn't you say something about that Coeurl if you knew it wasn't gonna win?" He groaned.

"I didn't say I knew who was going to win, Princess." She rolled her eyes. "Compared to those five Reapertails, that Coeurl looked too exhausted to even fight. And it's your own damn fault for gambling in the first place."

Noctis couldn't help but look at her in awe. He had always trusted Lightning in whatever situation they were in. And she always did save his ass.

As the electronic panel showed the round's list of beasts to bet on, she watched each of them carefully, assessing who was most likely to win. "Besides, you owe Ignis and I a caviar canape." To which Ignis nodded with crossed arms. She settled on her target, the Master Tonberry, and said out loud. "I think the Tonberry's gonna win."

Overhearing this, Prompto goaded. "Hah, you really think the little guy's gonna win?"

She didn't spare him a glance as she inputted her bet on a smaller electronic panel in their balcony area. "Who'd you place your bet on?"

"Gladio and I are going for the Gigantoad." The blonde cameraman grinned. "He's gonna squish that little dude!"

With the bets placed, the beasts were released from their cages and into the arena. Roars, cheers, and loud sounds from various trumpets filled the stadium. Noctis gritted his teeth as he watched Lightning and Prompto's bet. The Tonberry was tiny compared to the Gigantoad.

"A kitchen knife." Ignis mused. "Wonder if it's a culinary battle he wants."

"I somehow doubt that." The Prince chuckled nervously.

As the battle commenced, with loud cheers from everyone, and occasionally one from Ignis, only the Tonberry and Gigantoad were left. Tonberries are known for their patience when attacking, striking when the enemy is at its most vulnerable or unguarded. It was clear who the winner was going to be as the Gigantoad kept attacking, using up its energy and tiring itself. When the Tonberry finally attacked, its knife was encased in purple, glowing energy and claimed victory.

As Prompto fell to his knees and Gladio scowled in disappointment, Noctis and Ignis cheered at their victory. Lightning smiled, pleased with herself at gaining Noctis' money back and proving a now-disgruntled Prompto wrong, who she honestly thought needed to be brought down a notch or two. "Never underestimate an enemy, no matter what the size."

When the amount of their winnings came unto the electronic panel, the Prince stared at it then shifted to her, his mouth open as he realized she earned back twice the money he had lost. "Lightning!" He shouted excitedly and glomped her into a hug. Before he could even think, the words were already passed his lips. "I love you." He blurted out.

She simply smirked. "I know."

* * *

 **AN:** Did I really just upload another drabble without months of hiatus? Yes I did ahahaha. I plan to have a second part to this drabble; something that involves the caviar canape because everyone knows that's the most expensive dish in the game. Anyways, hoped you like this one! Playing this was a bitch and I had so many regrets hahaha. Stay Lightis~


	6. The Ever Regal Regalia

**The Ever Regal Regalia**

 _Based (loosely) on a side quest given by Cindy in Chapter 2 of FFXV._

 _ **AN: For fun, I suggest listening to Cindy's theme while reading this. I swear it'll be worth it.**_

* * *

The sun started to set as the Prince and his retinue made their way back to Hammerhead. Sweaty, dirty, and exhausted from their journey on foot to retrieve the car wax, they were met with an unusual site in front of the garage. The scene caused Gladio's voice to rumble deeply, the tone making Noctis almost shiver. "Well, I'll be. And I thought the desert couldn't get any hotter."

With a low, wolf whistle, Prompto picked up his slacked jaw and fished out his camera. This was just too good to pass up. It had Ignis fiddling with his glasses, cleaning the lenses with the fabric of his shirt and putting them on once more as if he thought he witnessed a mirage. While Noctis pulled at the neck of his shirt, which suddenly began to feel too tight. As the four males watched the scene between the two females, it seemed that time had slowed down.

Her golden skin exposed in all its glory, Cindy had rid her yellow, cropped jacket and clad in a red bikini top. She giggled with a water hose in hand. Her thumb pressed at the hose's opening and the water sprayed all over the place, including the stoic Glaive. Lightning, who ditched her Glaive coat, settled on only her sleeveless turtleneck that clung tightly to her skin. With pale and milky skin uncovered, her toned arms rose as she feebly tried to shield herself from the spray. Her face contorted in amusement and a chuckle escaped her lips.

At a flick of her wrist, Lightning summoned a _watera_ , which resulted in a drenched female mechanic. Cindy countered by releasing her thumb from the hose's opening, subjecting the Glaive to the full force of a water jet. Soaked to the bone and pieces of pink hair flat on her face, Lightning's leather outfit clung to her every curve more than before. She laughed refreshingly, a sound the Prince had not heard in a long time.

"Looks like we got an audience." Cindy grinned and waved her hand. "Hey there, Prince!"

"And what are you two lovely ladies doing?" Gladio swooped in, garnering attention from the mechanic.

"Givin' the ole girl a wash." Cindy replied, donning on her jacket as she felt a chilly, evening breeze. "Poor thing ain't as shiny as she is with all the dust lyin' around."

"Hey." Lightning greeted, running her fingers through wet hair, combing it up and away from her face. The action left Noctis frozen as he witnessed a different side of Lightning, who always kept a part of her face covered due to her hair's natural style.

"H-hey." He said back with a sheepish hand rubbing the back of his neck and looked away. Without hair framing her face, the color of her pale blue eyes were more intense than usual. "You've been busy." He nodded towards the Regalia. Everything from the windows to wheels were spick and span, except for the front.

"Mm, yeah." She replied and walked forward, bending to pick up the bucket of soapy water, in which the Prince coughed and looked away again. Her bodysuit was not helping with his situation. He could only watch as she dipped a rag in the bucket and proceeded to wipe the Regalia's windshield. As she bent once more, he saw Prompto's flushed face behind her, both eyes and mouth wide open.

"So, you found that car wax?" Lightning grunted a bit as she stretched to wipe the upper portion of the windshield. Noctis watched her toned arm, the muscles working beautifully, and his eyes travelled to her form, back arching as he stammered. "Y-yeah. The daemons were a bit troublesome."

She raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not injured or anything? You look stiff." As she finished washing the front, she proceeded to the hood of the car, bending almost at a 90-degree which made her arched back more noticeable. He swallowed, throat feeling as bone dry as the desert. "Just tired. It was a bit far on foot."

"You rely on the Regalia too much." She scoffed, a bit amused. "I'm sure Gladio enjoyed the small detour."

"Prompto wouldn't stop complaining."

"I'm sure." Lightning replied as she rinsed the hood with the water hose. Cindy happily bounced to her side, holding a red bucket of the car wax they found and wanting to service the Regalia immediately. Popping the hood open, the two females gathered close and inspected the engine and parts underneath.

Prompto and Gladio stood next to Noctis as they watched the women work. "Man, am I dreaming?" The blonde cameraman sighed blissfully, while the King's Shield countered, "Oh, I hope I'm not."

"There's just something hot about women and cars." Prompto continued in a somewhat euphoric state.

"Said women are drenched as well." Ignis suddenly appeared behind them and Noctis spun around to look at him in horror. His advisor _never_ made quips about these kinds of topics.

Gladio whistled lowly and teased. "Iggy likes what he sees."

"I think we all do." He replied in a murmur, adjusting his glasses as if to get a better look. "There's no harm in spectating."

"I can't believe this." Noctis nearly groaned as his friends created an awkward situation that was borderline voyeuristic. With nothing else to say, he continued to watch the two females, mainly his Glaive. She tucked a damp string of hair behind the ear and bent down on the hood, her strong arms flexing as they supported her weight. His stomach flipped at the realization she was damn attractive, and she wasn't even doing it on purpose.

Pursing her lips, she did something with Cindy's instructions and he was almost in awe with how every muscle in her body was dedicated to the task. He was entranced with how she licked her lips and bit on her bottom lip. "Uh-oh." Gladio sang at his side, voice still in teasing mode. "Lover boy's got it bad." He ignored his Shield's jibes as he was totally transfixed on Lightning.

The spell was broken as Cindy slammed the hood shut, slapping her palms together which was a sign that her work was done. "Now that I've slapped some of this wax in your car, y'all be glidin' down the road and saving gas too."

"I greatly and deeply appreciate your work, ladies." Ignis came by and inspected the Regalia, shiny, sleek, and beautiful. "She is looking as regal as ever."

"We're really grateful, Cindy." Gladio thanked and went to inspect the newly cleaned car, while Prompto began to take pictures.

"Thanks a lot." Noctis said genuinely, lightly squeezing her shoulder.

"It was my pleasure, Prince. Lightnin's been a huge help. I have half a mind to hire her. But I figure, you wouldn't have liked that." The belle of the body shop gave him a cheeky smile and when she winked, _Eos help him_ , she just knew. "Glad you enjoyed the show. If she were a car, she'd be a pretty damn fine one."

He groaned once more. "Not you, too."

She giggled. Her eyes travelled to Lightning, who was currently rubbing a towel in her hair. "The look you had is like when Paw-paw sees a mighty, fine car."

"She's not a car."

"That she ain't, but I know love when I see it." She winked once more and stretched an arm above her head. "Hey, Light!" She called out. "Wanna grab some grub?"

Laying the towel around her neck, Lightning gave her a small smile. "Sure. I'm hungry." As Cindy nearly skipped to the Glaive's side, she wrapped an arm around Lightning's and made their way to Takka's Pit Stop. But halfway there, Lightning turned around and looked Noctis in the eye. "You coming?"

His body moved before his mind could think and his mouth could speak. It was then Noctis realized, he could never say no to anything she asked.

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _This got so out of context. But I needed a car wash scene. I also needed Light and Cindy being BFFs because they're goals (and nosebleeds). And I needed the boys gawking at them because those two are just damn sexy._

 _And shout out to_ _loveiscosmicsin_ _. If you all are looking for another car wash Lightis, there's a story in AO3_ _. This popped up way back and I remembered reading it and it's super lovely._

 _For Lightning's Glaive garb, I imagine it's a mix between her Lightning Returns' outfit (Equilibrium) and Crowe's in Kingsglaive. It would be more like Crowe's except that she's wearing her sleeveless turtleneck inside and a crimson cape behind her. (But if it's a formal event/super cold, she'll wear the black frock coat like Nyx's)._


	7. Ebony

**Ebony**

 _Based on Ignis' favorite brand of coffee._

 _ **AN:**_ _Subtle mention of Lightis. Mainly Ignis x Lightning. Enjoy~_

* * *

Lightning shivered slightly as a chilly breeze passed by. Perched on the edge of the Emmelle Haven, she dangled her legs off the rock overlooking the desert and Longwythe Peak. She watched as small dust storms danced like currents in the ocean. Overall, it was a pleasant sight. Quiet and peaceful, the world still sleeping as the dawn is yet to break.

She heard a small clatter behind her, but she wasn't startled. She knew only one person who would be up as early as her. A tin mug entered her view. "Ebony?"

"Thank you, Ignis." Lightning took it in her hands, warming them up and took a sip. Oh, that was some good java. "I swear you're the only one in all of Eos who knows how I like my coffee."

The man chuckled as he seated himself next to her. "Well, it helps that we have similar tastes."

A comfortable silence was shared between them, with the occasional sip of Ebony. The two rarely spoke to each other outside of the frequent group banters, though confided in each other concerning strategies and politics, but there was no need to. They had a mutual understanding, like being on the same page, and, oddly, silence was one of their ways of communication.

A few moments later, Lightning spoke up, a bit teasing. "So, it's rare for you to share your stash with me. What's on your mind?"

Taking his sip of coffee to clear his throat, he replied. "I just wanted to thank you, Lightning."

Her eyebrows created the tiniest crease. "For what?"

"For always being there for Noct. Believing, supporting, and protecting him." He said in a soft murmur. "You've always given everything for his well being." He paused and Lightning was surprised that his voice can go any more tender. "You've always given him everything I can't. And I appreciate that."

At his words, rare and deep, a light blush appeared on the stoic Glaive's cheeks. "That was rather sudden." Very sudden. "What brought all this on?"

The royal advisor shrugged. "Just a revelation. And a chance to thank you before… Well, before I don't get the chance to."

Another silence, this time one that was more tense. Both of them aware that the path they were on was a dangerous one, one that defies promises, and one that was ruled by fate's hand. But if there was one promise, one wish that they can make, it would be that their Prince would ascend to his rightful throne.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Ignis suddenly asked, breaking the tension.

"Oh yeah." A small smile appeared on her lips, then she shook her head. "That really wasn't a good first impression. You thought I was a boy."

He spluttered at the time of his mug and this time color rose on his cheeks. "That short hairstyle was rather convincing."

She gave him a look, one that was usually directed at Prompto whenever he said something stupid. "Even though my hair was pink?"

"You beat Gladio in a spar." He explained as if that was reason enough to assume she was a boy. It was rather shocking seeing someone her size take down a behemoth like Gladio. "And you had a very… rugged attitude when you were younger. A boyish charm."

She scoffed. "Hm, thanks."

He tried for sincerity. "My apologies."

She shrugged, completely unoffended, and played along. "You're twelve years overdue. But I'll accept it."

With their cups of Ebony finished, the day's first light began to peek through. "The sun's almost up." Ignis said.

"Mm, yeah."

"A new dawn. A new day." He said solemnly. "Who knows what will happen?"

She turned her head to look at him and Ignis could only stare at her pale blue eyes. There was a time when those eyes were cold, lonely, and angry. But now, all he could see was warmth, strength, and comradeship. "We can only hope that everything's going to be okay. That we're going to be okay."

With those words, Ignis believed, truly believed, they were going to be okay.


	8. The Prophesied Hour

**The Prophesied Hour**

 _Based on the end of Chapter 13 of FFXV._

 _Tumblr Prompt Request: I love you, please don't go._

* * *

"Claire."

"Noctis."

True names were spoken. For a moment, they set duty aside. For the first time, in a long time, they were just Noctis and Claire. Not King and Glaive. Unburdened by their given roles in this world. To let fate's wheel turn a few more cycles before the prophesied time is to come. The world waited for ten years, it can wait for a few more minutes.

They stood in front of the throne room. Literally standing upon death's door. They remembered the day it all started, clear as if it were yesterday. Summoned by King Regis to escort the Prince to Altissia. It was supposed to be a simple task. In Lightning's book, it was to be an uncomplicated escort mission, while in Noctis', a road trip with friends.

If they only knew back then.

He sighed, weary and tired, like he wants to go to sleep. Though they both knew, it would be an eternal slumber. "I need you to leave." Blood will be spilled tonight. The Draconian had showed him. "I don't want you to witness this."

She let out a breath. It was difficult. Through the years, she was always by his side. To let him go now, alone, hurt more than any wound she has ever received. She had protected him for all his life. But even if she had all the power in the world, she cannot protect him from this.

He senses her protest. "You know I have to do this." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I must."

She looked at him, pale blue eyes to his darker ones. She knew. Eos, she knew this must be done. His eyes looked spent, however they showed his desire to finish this once and for all. With those determined eyes, she knew he was slipping through her fingers.

He slipped away once, she refused to let him slip again.

In this moment, Lightning chose to be selfish. For once in her life, she stopped the gears of logic and reason turning in her head. She let herself be irrational and shameless. The complete opposite of who she was as a person. She felt naked and vulnerable as she laid her soul bare.

"I love you." She let out, breathless, tender,and breaking. Fisting his wrist near her shoulder, her entire body shook as if the Glacian herself stood beside her. "Please don't go." She pleaded, her voice and eyes flowing with more emotions Noctis had seen from her than in his entire life. She clutched his other hand desperately. He felt his heart break from every word she said. "I can't lose you again. I just got you back."

She had loved and lost, over and over again. One more, she shuddered at the thought, one more and she swears she would be thrown into the void. The world had not seen the dawn for ten years. In her eyes, dawn or no dawn, it would make no difference even if Noctis has passed.

His hand gripped her jaw, his fingers curled into her hair and he gave her their first and final kiss. There was no softness, no warmth, and no joy. There were tastes of despair, sadness, and longing. But, never regret.

"You're a cruel man." She sighed over his lips, breathing in the same air as he did.

"I know." He offered a silent apology, pressing their foreheads together. This woman before him, he never deserved her. What she deserved was a future, a bright and normal one, unclouded by war and violence. Perhaps, even one with love, even if it weren't with him. "I wish things were different, Claire." He struggled to maintain self-control. If he claimed her lips one more time, he would never walk away.

She knew the time drew near, so her mind went into overdrive, trying to memorize his face. "We'll see each other again, Noctis. I'll make sure of it." Impossible promises, but they have always defied the impossible.

He chuckled, forcing down a sob as his chest began to tighten. "I love you." He choked out, staring into her one last time. He needed to walk away, right now. It was for the best.

So he turned around, breaking their embrace and never looking back. His footsteps echoed as he walked into the throne room. With shaky hands, Lightning clutched the door handles of the chamber and pulled them to a close.

As if all the strength were sapped from her bones, her whole body leaned towards the door, forehead flat against the cold marble and she allowed herself to shed tears for the first time in ten years.

* * *

 _ **AN:** Title inspired by Bahamut's speech. His monologue was so good!_


	9. Camping

**Camping**

 _Based on the gameplay element of camping in FFXV._

 _Tumblr Prompt Request: Stay here tonight._

* * *

Lightning's eyes snapped open as she felt the first drop of rain on her cheek. The night sky was unusually murky as the clouds obstructed the moon and stars. Another drop fell and then another until it turned into a light drizzle.

She sighed, shifting the hood of the sleeping bag over her head and sat upright. Immediately, she felt a headache on its way. This was going to be troublesome. With the way those clouds looked, it was going to be a complete downpour tonight, and soon.

She glanced at the tent beside her, a few feet away, and she could hear the muffled snores of Gladio and Prompto. Earlier in the evening, Ignis inquired about the weather from a Coernix Station. The shopkeeper claimed with brimming confidence that tonight's forecast was as clear as day. She scoffed at the memory of the shopkeeper's face, what a load of Behemoth dung. Thanks to the information that was yet to be proven false, the Prince and his retinue settled at a haven in the middle of the Alstor Slough, near the Neeglyss Pond.

When they weren't sleeping in a motel or a caravan, they would camp in havens. If the weather was fine, Lightning would sleep outside with her sleeping bag while the boys were in the tent. It was something Noctis protested. He reasoned it was inappropriate, ungentlemanly he once said with a flushed face, to let a woman sleep outside. However, she concluded that it was part of her job as his Glaive, making a point that sleeping outside was the first line of defense if something were to happen. Though reluctant, the boys eventually agreed while Ignis added that it was more appropriate to separate four males and a female when sleeping.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the dim light of a lamp turn on in the tent. She heard some shuffling noise until the unzipping of the tent and, to her surprise, the head of a sleepy Prince popped out.

"Light?" Noctis called out, a bit groggily.

Still in her sleeping bag to avoid getting drenched from the rain, which just started to pour heavier, she wormed her way to the tent's opening. "Hey."

"I heard the rain." He blinked a few times as he tried to make out her face. "If I knew, we would've stayed at a caravan."

She shrugged, cocooning herself in the sleeping bag. "It's no one's fault."

"Stay here tonight." He said, opening up the tent carefully to not disturb the others.

"Noct-"

"Don't be ridiculous." He cut her off. "There's no way I'm letting you stay out here."

She opened her mouth to get a word in but he wouldn't have any of it. "And don't even think about suggesting to go to the Regalia. The daemons are out, I won't risk it." He sighed. "Just get in the damn tent, Light."

A soft laugh escaped her lips. "Okay, Princess." She shuffled out of her bag, maneuvering into the tent without getting the inside nor herself wet and left the bag outside. Crawling in all fours, she stepped on the spaces between Gladio and Prompto's legs. "Don't get your panties in a twist." She muttered as she passed Noctis by.

"I have half a mind to leave you out there." He zipped up the tent close, being careful not to hit Ignis. "But lucky for you, I'm feeling rather generous tonight."

Settling on the far end of the tent, they both managed to fit in the space. Clicking the lamp off, they huddled together into a comfortable position. Her head faced his chest while his rested on a folded arm and the other arm pulled up the blanket to cover them both. She moved closer, barely touching him and finding warmth she would never find in a sleeping bag.

As the rain poured harder, it created a rhythm that induced them to slumber. But before she could allow sleep to take over, Lightning needed to get something off her chest.

"Hey, Noct."

"Hm?" He mumbled.

Her lips curled into a smile. "Thanks."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _I've always wanted to do a Lightis camping scene._


	10. The Citadel

**The Citadel**

 _Based on the hybrid castle-skyscraper where the Royal Family and the Crystal resides._

 _Tumblr Prompt Request: I wouldn't change a thing about you._

 _ **AN:**_ _Timeline will take place pre-FFXV story, basically during Brotherhood. Enjoy~_

* * *

Open Citadel Day.

An annual event where parts of the Citadel, mainly the large courtyard, are opened to the public. This festive event hosts various kinds of entertainments, merchandise, and food. Due to the amount of people flooding in, the issue of public safety was of utmost importance during yesterday's discussion within the council, thus it's business as usual for the Kingsglaive.

While the Glaives were assigned a portion in the security grid, it didn't stop them from looking around or trying out the various foods available. The Glaives stood out like sore thumbs, making their presence known in an all black attire and frock coats. With a confident stride, Lightning patrolled her area. A small smile etched on her face as she watched families and children enjoy the event.

The atmosphere felt great. The faint sound of music, laughters from the crowd, colorful confetti falling everywhere, the weather bright, sunny, and perfect, and the smell of food permeated her nose. Everything was going well and she was determined to let it stay that way.

Suddenly, she felt a breeze past the back of her neck. However, she knew that particular brush of wind from anywhere and she called out a name before even turning around to look. "Noct?"

"Hey, Light." The Prince greeted cheerily. He wore a casual outfit that consisted of a jacket, jeans, and a black cap. The cap usually indicated he was hiding from the public due to his noticeable hair. "You on duty?"

She nodded, slowing down her stride to walk beside him, then asked curiously. "How'd you know I was here?" She hadn't told any of the guys where she was stationed and the Citadel was rather large.

Noctis rubbed a hand at his neck. "A little birdie told me."

She sighed, knowing only one person who would d know her exact location. "Nyx." She said the name with a flat tone. She was going to have a nice long chat with the Glaive about disclosing sensitive and classified information. But for now, it can wait.

"Have you explored the grounds yet?" She asked as they walked pass vendors and food stalls.

"Mm, not yet." He replied, mildly distracted by the array of street food.

"You haven't eaten." Lightning stated, knowing from his stance and the way he stared at the food. And knowing him, he probably didn't have money on him. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the spoiled prince, she stopped at a certain stall and paid the vendor for three Semur skewers and an accompanying frothy drink. "Here." She handed Noctis two of the skewers and grabbed two straws.

"Thanks." He said gratefully, forgetting his manners and talked with his mouth full. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Starve." She gave him an amused smile before biting into her skewer and taking a sip of the drink. Feeling quite thirsty from having his first bite of food for the day, Noctis also took a sip of the cool Galahdian drink.

Almost spluttering the drink, he felt a bulky arm wrap around his shoulders and nearly groaned. "Great. You found me. Thanks, you guys." In response to his sarcastic tone, the muscular arm tightened around the Prince's neck.

"Are we interrupting something?" Gladio asked suggestively, mocking without sympathy. "So sorry."

"Lightning!" Prompto sang, while taking a bite out of her skewer.

"Noct, you can't wander off." Ignis warned, crossing his arms. "A reminder: even though the public areas of the Citadel are limited, you still need to be careful where you go."

"Yeah, yeah." He waved it off dismissively. "Excuse me for wanting to stroll solo."

"Iggy was getting pretty worried about you." Prompto said as he tried to steal another bite, to which Lightning sighed and allowed the blonde to eat the rest.

"Prompto, we agreed to keep that between us."

The Prince sighed and asked his adviser. "Do I still have time?"

"Yes, but not much."

"Great. The four of us will accompany Light in her patrol while looking around the grounds." Noctis turned to the Glaive. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah. I don't see why not." She shrugged. "I could use the company."

"It's settled then." The Prince smiled. His neck found relief as Gladio's arm no longer rested on him. The large man was found at a nearby stall and rumbled appreciatively. "Woah, nice. They've got booze, too."

"Now's not the time for drinking, Gladio." Ignis said, although he went over and inspected the variety of bottles.

For the next few minutes, they walked around, inspecting the stalls, food, and small shows being performed. Prompto had his camera out, taking pictures of literally everything. Ignis perused over the food, collecting information as he jotted notes on a pad. Gladio looked at all the merchandise and flirted with a couple women here and there. While Noctis and Lightning tried out some games and everything else. The Prince made sure that she was having fun, but not too much since she was still on duty.

"Noct, it's time to get going." Ignis said as Noctis finished a shooting game. He sighed as he looked at the score, the highest record being Lightning's while Prompto was, to the gunman's dismay, one point behind.

"Do I have to?" He asked, almost in a childish whine, not really wanting to go.

"You skipped out the last few years." Ignis pointed out. "His Majesty wants you to be there this time."

"Alright." He sighed again and turned to Lightning. "I'll see you later."

She looked at him in confusion, wondering where he was going but decided not to question it. "Okay." With a wave, he left with Ignis and Gladio in tow until they disappeared into the crowd.

"Iggy said he's gotta greet the crowd with the King." Prompto appeared behind her, answering her unsaid question with a cotton candy in hand. "Wanna watch him?"

"Yeah, sure."

Prompto found a spot a far ways from the Citadel entrance but they could still clearly see the large balcony just above it. They stood in the sea of people who also gathered to look at the King and Prince. As the clock struck at twelve noon, the crowd cheered as two dark, prominent figures appeared on the balcony.

"King Regis!"

"Prince Noctis!"

"The Prince is so handsome!"

"We love you, Prince Noctis!"

"Prince Noctis has become a very dignified young man."

However, the chants and cries from the people felt muffled as they entered Lightning's ear.

"Woah." Prompto commented, a bit breathless, beside her after taking a picture. "It's like he's a whole different person"

Lightning looked up to Noctis in awe. The Prince stood tall and an authoritative aura emanated from him. He wore an all black suit, looking very dignified, as one man said, and handsome. Everything was sharp and refined, all tailor made for the Prince. He held a small smile, like his father, and waved at the crowd.

She silently agreed with Prompto. There he stood at the balcony, wearing a dashing suit that fit him perfectly and kingly. Far from the lazy, sleepy Noctis they know. He was a fit for royalty.

With this revelation, she became more aware of her position on the ground, squeezed in between people while Noctis stood at a higher ground, a higher place she can never reach. The space between them suddenly seemed large and a gap impossible to close.

She felt a bit queasy at the thought, overwhelmed by the large distance between their standings, literally and figuratively. Noctis was a Prince, and eventually he would become a King who would rule over Insomnia and guide its people filled with hopes and dreams. She thought about the future and wondered if she would still be able to remain at his side.

What she didn't notice was Prompto staring intently at her. From the look of it, he knew what she was thinking, but he didn't press in on the issue. He knew because he felt the same way. He was a mere commoner without royal blood, just like Lightning. It was different with Ignis and Gladio since their families have served the Lucis Caelum blood for generations. From amongst their group, he related to Lightning the most.

As the ceremony ended, the crowds dispersed once more and stayed to enjoy the festivities. Lightning and Prompto walked back to her station in silence, with the air a bit tense between them.

"Hey, Light. I've got a question." Prompto started with hesitance. "Do you sometimes wish Noct wasn't a prince?"

She remained silent, continuing to walk and Prompto wasn't sure if she heard him. So he opened his mouth, about to ask again, but he was cut off by her voice, her tone equivalent to a winter in Insomnia.

"Ask me that question again and I'll rip your tongue out."

The question wasn't an easy yes or no. However, Lightning thought Prompto deserved an answer. After all, they were both the same. So she stopped walking and turned to look at the Citadel, the large tower served as a reminder of their status.

"No matter how much time we spend with him, the truth will never change. We'll always be far away from Noctis." She gave him the harsh truth. After a pause, she shifted to look at Prompto, who stared at her with wide eyes from her admission. "But even so, I wouldn't change a thing about him." She allowed herself a small smile. "Because in the end, he's worth it."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _A bit sad we can't explore Insomnia / Citadel in the game. We have a little mention of Nyx and the recipeh that was available in the Assassin's Festival DLC. Though I don't know the name of that frothy drink. The casual outfit is the as in the game except without that hideous vest. The suit Noctis is wearing is what he wears endgame. It's the same one he wears in the versus ffxiii somnus scene._ _(He's so fine, how can you not?)_ _And I love love love exploring and exploiting the dynamics between commoner / royalty. For sure going to explore this relationship more with Lightis. Also, we got a bit of Lightning x Prompto at the end. And I tweaked the prompt a bit hahaha._

 _And to the_ _ **Guest**_ _who reviewed that they read my Camping drabble somewhere before, you might have seen it in tumblr? I posted it a day or two there before here at ffnet. But I should be consistent in posting from now on after this. My current tumblr is_ _ **blazefire-engine**_ _. So if you have a tumblr and want to follow, please go ahead!_

 _Hope y'all enjoyed reading this one. I had fun writing it._


	11. Camping (Verse 2)

**Camping - Verse 2**

 _Based on the gameplay element of camping in FFXV._

 _Tumblr Prompt Request: I'm sorry I scared you._

 _ **AN:** I had some very interesting reviews (for my last drabble, The Citadel) which concerned the royal/commoner/bloodlines and I'm rather pleased it became a topic of discussion. I replied to some of your reviews, there'll be another AN at the end and I'll be clarifying these things._

 _Anyways, thank you so much for the reviews! Whether it is a "I love it" or "really cute," thank you so much for taking the time and simply commenting._

* * *

Up at the crack of dawn, the Prince walked down to the Vesperpool lake, very eager to catch their meal for the morning while the rest were still sleeping. He had volunteered to make breakfast and breakfast he shall deliver.

Setting up his space by the east bank, he whistled a tune as he prepared his lure and rod. Once done, he threw the line with confidence and waited for the fish to take the bait.

Twenty minutes had passed and the Prince was very pleased with himself, having caught four large fishes that was more than enough for breakfast. As he was about to gather his equipment and head back to camp with a cooler filled with fish, he spotted movement from the corner of his eye.

Right behind the tall shrubs of the lake, there was a person. As he moved closer, he saw pink hair and immediately knew it was Lightning.

But that was not all, before he knew it his eyes travelled down her bare, muscular back, pale and apparently littered with pinkish scars from combat. Before he could settle on her bottom, which was thankfully obscured by another shrub, he stumbled and made a splash which had Lightning immediately turning around.

Oh Eos, he panicked and accepted his fate. She was going to kill him with her bare hands while she was naked. There were worst ways to go.

He blurted out his apology with closed eyes and looked down before she could make a move. "I'm sorry!"

"Noct, what are you-" Her voice aghast as she covered her chest area.

"I didn't know you were there."

"The fish!"

Completely thrown off by what she said, he responded in kind. "The what now?"

"Someone's stealing our fish!"

She sounded serious so he turned around. She was right. Someone, rather something, was stealing their fish. As his mind was still catching up to what just happened, his body remained frozen as he helplessly watched the large Sahagin plop all the fish from the cooler in its mouth, swallow them all, and swim away.

As Ignis came to check on him, he expected freshly caught breakfast but instead he was met by a disappointed Noctis. He had knees up to his chest and his chin rested on them as he stared at the lake with a forlorn look. Asking what happened, the Prince relayed the story about their breakfast as if it were a tragic play, to which it was.

"So a wild beast makes off with our fish." Ignis stated flatly, summarizing what he had said. He shook his head, completely unimpressed. "Right under the nose of the Prince, who has the Royal Arms in his possession?"

Noctis sighed in defeat, burying himself further in his knees. "I was distracted."

Hands on his hip, Ignis snapped. "What, in the land of Eos, could have distracted you?"

The Prince clamped his lips shut, far too embarrassed to reveal what had happened.

Sensing that Noctis wasn't going to talk, Ignis sighed. "Perhaps some cup noodles are in order." He trudged his way back to camp and muttered. "I'm sure Gladio will be ecstatic."

As Noctis stood up and made his way back, Lightning appeared at his side, all clothed with damp hair and a towel around her neck. He felt his face heat up as they walked together. Nearing the haven, he spoke up before they reached the others. "Light, back at the lake, I'm sorry I scared you."

The Glaive shrugged as if it was no big deal. "More surprised than scared, really."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't see anything."

Lightning just gave him a raised eyebrow and said in nonchalance. "You always were a bad liar."

* * *

 _ **AN:** Bwahaha, naked!Lightning for the win. Noct, you voyeur. Iggy's day completely went to shit lol, but Gladio gets to eat cup noodles for breakfast. And totes Light knows when Noct is lying._

 _To the **Guest who reviewed on Feb 27:** I agree that Lightning will always be the Warrior of Goddess Etro, but with the "pre-existence" of versus-xiii where Etro was significant, it makes you wonder what really could have happened between Noctis and Lightning (if they would even interact). Alas, we shall never know :'D_

 _To **dhe** and the other **Guest:** "Prompto is not a mere commoner" - Yes, I agree! He becomes part of the Crownsguard in the FFXV Prologue - Parting Ways. I also mentioned that the timeline for "The Citadel" drabble was Brotherhood, so it was before the FFXV plot where Prompto wasn't made a Crownsguard yet (to what I remember)._

 _Now, I shall explain why I consider him and Lightning as "commoners."_

 _I use the term "commoner" loosely. They are commoners in which they are "not related to royal blood." So in this case, I use the term "royal" as for someone with a "higher status/social standing."_

 _I differentiated Prompto and Lightning from Ignis and Gladio, in terms of ranking, because their positions are more like "soldiers." Even if Prompto and Lightning are Crownsguard and Glaive, respectively, their purpose of serving the King is similar to pawns in chess. While Ignis and Gladio are like the bishop and knight. They also serve the King, however on a higher status as an advisor and a Shield. So in terms of rankings/status, Ignis and Gladio are closer to Noct than Prompto and Light._

 _Another way to look at it are like those houses and bloodlines in Game of Thrones or any medieval-esque story. Commoners are considered people with no drop of royal blood. And family lines that serve a noble house are not necessarily noble, but they have a higher rank than commoners._

 _But, these are just my opinions and I understand if you don't agree with them._

 _For Gladio, he is "royal" in terms of his predecessors serving the King as their Shield, like his father and those before him. And there's also an official description on the Amicitia family._

 _Now, Ignis is an interesting case. I don't think there's an official description of the "Scientia family" serving as the King's adviser. But, from what I've seen so far, he was chosen to be Noct's adviser at a young age (as seen in Episode Ignis) and in the Brotherhood episodes, he is seen participating in council meetings. I assumed his family served the Lucis line, like Gladio's. However, again, there is really no information on his past._

 _Anyways, good catch and thanks for pointing that out! It is also partially my fault for not making it clear, hahaha._

 _Feel free to PM me, everyone! I would love to discuss this and even other details and dynamics surrounding the FFXV universe_.


	12. Liege of the Lake

**Liege of the Lake**

 _Based on the side quest tour in the Vesperpool, East Bank, with Gladio in FFXV. (Kind of a sequel to_ _ **Camping - Verse 2**_ _.)_

 _Tumblr Prompt Request: Don't cry, baby._

* * *

Another morning by the Vesperpool lake and Noctis walked to the east bank with determination. He was going to catch a damn fish and nobody, not even a Sahagin, will stop him from doing so.

He received help from a fellow named Bert, who ran his fishing shop just next to the bank called Bert's Bobbers 'n' Stuff, to which Lightning almost snorted. He said that in the morning there was a legendary fish that can be caught. He caught wind of it in whispers as the fishermen called it the _Liege of the Lake_.

Taking the challenge, Noctis prepared his best line, rod, and appropriate bait. Bert suggested a Dragon's Beard line, the Nereid reel, and a Needle 1000: Gold Cactuar lure. So, the Prince spent his money buying a couple lines and lures, but he knew it would be totally worth it.

Lightning sat on his side, reading a book she stole from Gladio, who was still asleep, as they waited for the fish to bite. Unfortunately, the fish they wanted to appear was not biting at all. Disappointment after disappointment, Noctis steeled himself with resolve. His pride as a fisherman was on the line, no pun intended.

After two hours of waiting, he was about to give up since the sun had already appeared. Bert had also said that the fish only appeared at dawn. But when the line moved and Noctis went to reel it in, Eos, did it feel _heavy_. With excitement, he called out Lightning's name, who had dozed off under the book, and she jumped awake.

"Light!" He grinned. "I think this is it!"

She could only watch and cheer silently for him at the side. He grunted and pulled and she admired his muscles working at the task. He had rid his jacket and settled only for his shirt.

A game similar to tug-of-war lasted for a few minutes and sweat started to form on his forehead. Eos, the damn fish would not give up. Pulling more aggressively, he made a mistake that caused the line to snap.

"Damn it!" He growled, dropping the reel as he fell to his knees. "Son of a- I had him!"

She watched him fall in defeat, bending towards the lake which showed no mercy, and she couldn't help but feel bad for him. He had waited for so long and worked so hard. The Prince currently had two fists held out and his forehead touching the dock. He looked really depressed.

"Don't cry." Lightning said, crouching down beside him and tried to comfort him by patting his back. But when she heard a sniffle, she rolled her eyes. "Baby."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _When this quest activated, I was like noooo but then I already had a high fishing level so it was cake (baby). But, yes, Lightis fishing moments. And Light gets lowkey turned on when she sees Noct fishing and using his muscles._


	13. Disquiet

**Disquiet**

 _Based on a soundtrack in FFXV and Noctis' dream sequence at the end of Chapter 5 in the game. Disquiet: a feeling of anxiety and worry._

 _ **AN:** Slight spoiler for FFXV ending._

 ** _Tumblr Prompt Request:_** _You died!_

* * *

In her vision, she floated and held something heavy in her hand. Before her, there was a man, an older one from what she could make out.

Her vision was slightly blurred and muddy as if her eyes were covered with a thin veil. Her hearing felt muffled, like she was underwater. The man in front of her looked exhausted and in pain, slouched on some sort of chair, his head hung from his neck, and he looked to be out of breath. But then the older man lifted his head slowly.

 _King Regis?_ She thought at first, but no, something was different. As she squinted, she recognized his face. He was saying something but she couldn't hear. However, she read his lips.

"...Trust in me."

With that, she felt herself move and the sword she held plunged into his chest.

Lightning awoke with a sharp gasp, as if she was the one who had been stabbed. A cold sweat formed at the back of her neck and she breathed harshly. She clutched her chest, trying to slow down her racing heart, and before she could even think, tears started to form in her eyes.

She hadn't noticed his presence until she heard her name. "Light." Noctis' worried voice reached her ears and a tender hand rubbed her back. "It was just a dream." His voice was soothing as he reassured her. "Everything's fine, it was just a dream."

Panting like she had just done a morning run, she gripped his hand and looked at him in the eye, making sure that it was him. That he was real. Then she whispered hoarsely. "You died."

There was a flash of concern in his face, but he tried to ease her by passing a joke. "Good thing it was just a dream."

"What if it wasn't?" Lightning wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand, feeling overwhelmed from the dream. There was a knot at the pit of her stomach. It felt too real...

"What are you talking about?" Noctis shifted, fixing her disheveled sleeping bag and pulled it up her body. He had been asleep until he heard the rustles and shuffling. Checking outside the tent, he saw Lightning tossing and turning in her sleep and he immediately went to her side. She must have had a really bad nightmare. "What else could it be?"

"A premonition."

Noctis looked at her, unnerved by her shaky voice. He had never seen her so scared. If there was one thing he knew about her, it was that she wasn't afraid of anything. But whatever she saw in her dream, it did. He realized that she was scared of _him_ dying and it brought a tinge of warmth in his chest.

"I'm not going to die." He casually stated, holding her hand. "Do you know why?"

Lightning didn't answer him and just stared.

And for a moment, Noctis was in awe. She looked so vulnerable, yet beautiful. Her pink hair in a mess from the toss and turns. Her pale skin reflecting the light emanating from the moon and stars above. Her aqua blue eyes, still watery and a bit puffy. But he thought not even the sky during daylight could compare to the brightness of her eyes.

"Because I have Ignis, Gladio, Prompto…" He slowly trailed off, folding his pinky, ring finger, middle finger as he said their names and then unexpectedly tapped his index finger on her nose, "and I have you."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _I just wanted to do a Lightning version of Noct's dream sequence. Title was inspired by the soundtrack playing during the dream. Disquiet is one of my faves._

 _You can also think of it as the Astrals conveying certain visions (like Titan with Noctis) so, in turn, she does her job as his Glaive to protect the True King. (shrugs lol) Anyways, hope you enjoyed this~_


	14. Shield of the King

**Shield of the King**

 _Based on the title given to the Lucian King's bodyguard._

 _ **AN:**_ _Mainly Lightning x Gladiolus._ _Very subtle Lightis (if ya squint). If any of your are uncomfortable with this pairing, you are more than welcome to skip this._ _Enjoy~_

* * *

His greatsword flew across the dirt and to the other side of the training grounds. Before he could even lift up his shield, the blade of his opponent's sword was already pressed into his throat, though not lethal enough to cut the skin.

"Gladio." His opponent gave a frustrating sigh. "If you have something to say, just say it." Lightning dropped her blade and sat next to him on the ground.

"I can't do this anymore." He responded with gritted teeth, unable to meet her eyes.

"You mean train with me?"

No, damn it. Can't she see this was hard enough to say as it is? But he needed to do this soon, before any more damage could be done, before both of them make a mistake. Summoning the little courage he had left, Gladio turned his head towards her.

"I'm breaking up with you." There, he said it while holding her stare. The words flew straight out of his mouth and he clenched his hand into a fist.

The young woman next to him simply sighed. "So this is it, huh? I'm getting dumped at the training grounds." She didn't sound like a woman scorned. She sounded like she was talking about the weather.

"Claire." Gladio said her name, almost in pain. He didn't want to do this, but he had to. They both had to stop this from going any further.

"I know." Lightning sighed again and looked up at the sky. "We both knew this was how it's going to end."

The two remained silent, neither talking nor moving as they watched the orange sky darken, indicating it was almost evening.

"If I'm placed in a situation where I have to choose between saving you or Noct…" Gladio started, then shook his head, never finishing his sentence. He can't imagine what would happen if he was forced into that situation. "Well, you see the problem."

She simply nodded in understanding. "That's true. We'd both hate each other and ourselves if it comes to that. Noctis will always be the top of our priorities." Then she met his gaze and surprisingly, her eyes held no resentment or anger. "But for some reason, I'm not sad." She continued. "Because while we're not together like we used to be, we're still friends."

"Yeah." Gladio agreed, almost in awe of her acceptance. And he was briefly reminded that her nature of understanding people and their perspectives were few of the many reasons why he'd fallen for her. "I'm glad things hadn't changed between us." He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "I'm counting on you to watch my back."

She laughed softly. "Same." With a soft grunt, she stood up and held out her hand to his, which he gladly took. But before he could fully stand up, Lightning pressed her lips to his, giving themselves a final kiss.

"Claire." He said her name once more, knowing this would be the last time he would say it. Her name was precious and it deserved to be uttered by someone who can truly love her. Perhaps someone like Noctis, as much as he was bitter to admit. "You know I'll always love you."

She pressed her forehead to his and whispered. "I know, Glad. I know."

This was just how it is. Both of them were bound to a lifetime duty they cannot simply abandon. As the future King's Shield and Glaive, they both knew that a relationship between them can never become fruitful. So the best they can do is care for each other from afar.

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _You guys. I can totally see this happening. Their duties and priority to Noctis keeps them from being together and it_ _ **hurts**_ _me. And Light sometimes calls him Glad *sobs grossly* But don't worry! Lightis is still endgame :D_


	15. Everyone Loves Beans

**Everyone Loves Beans**

 _Based on a side quest given by Takka in FFXV._

 _ **AN:**_ _Bean puns._

* * *

Entering Takka's Pit Stop, the owner himself waved at them, garnering their attention. "Got a job for y'all, if you've got time."

Noctis walked up to the counter, more than happy to help the man since he had been feeding them the past few days. "Sure. What's up?"

"Somethin' nasty's holdin' up my supplier, so now I'm runnin' low on beans."

He felt his whole body froze and instantly regretted coming up to the man. He couldn't help but whine a bit. "Beeeans?"

Takka raised an eyebrow. "Don't like 'em?"

"Not so much." Noctis admitted, feeling the stares of his royal adviser and his Glaive. Ignis had been trying to feed him vegetables since he was a kid, while Lightning had always disapproved of him being a picky eater.

"That's 'cause you ain't never had 'em cooked right." Takka reasoned, confident that he'd been eating beans the wrong way his entire life. "I simmer 'em _long an' slow_." From that innuendo, Prompto waggled his eyebrows, which resulted him being smacked by Gladio.

The cook rubbed the back of his neck. "Leastways, when I have 'em. I'd be real grateful if y'all would help."

Noctis sighed and accepted his request. Takka noticed his reluctance and contemplated. "Hmmm. You say ya hate beans, son, but I reckon a batch of mine'll change your mind."

Soon, the Prince and his retinue travelled to the location Takka provided. In middle of the wild fields, they spotted an abandoned truck with a gang of Havocfangs lurking around it.

"Perhaps these are the bean bandits?" Ignis commented, while Prompto readied his pistols. "Time to save the legumes!"

It took them up to no time and effort at all to secure the stranded legumes. After the fight, Gladio decided it was the right time to make the pun. "Mission accomplished: the beans have _bean_ saved."

Prompto stared at him, then snickered and joined in. "It wasn't too bad dealing with the _bean_ -dits."

While the two were giving each other a fist bump, Noctis gave an exasperated sigh. "Enough about the beans. Seriously."

Returning to the diner, they were greeted with a happy Takka. "Good news: all my deliveries finally came in. Y'all have my thanks."

"Of course." Ignis replied and nonchalantly added. "We would have completed the mission by any _beans_ necessary."

There was a muffled laugh behind him and Noctis nearly groaned as Ignis decided to join in on the puns as well. No doubt the sound came from Prompto and Gladio while Lightning gave a small smile, hidden underneath her fist. Takka didn't notice, but Noctis did.

"That's great." The cook replied, then turned to the Prince. "Beans are healthy and nutritious. What's not to like?"

"I guess I could eat 'em if I had to."

"You wanna hear a tip from an ol' pro? Forget they're beans… Pretend they're little meatballs!"

He resisted the urge to grimace. "'Little meatballs'... I'll give it a try."

That evening, as promised, Takka made them dinner with beans as the main ingredient. The Prince was hesitant at first but he survived dinner and admitted that they weren't that bad.

Although he didn't show it, Ignis was ecstatic that Noct was finally giving the vegetable a try. Walking back to the caravan just across from the diner, Ignis pondered. "I would love to have my hands on that recipe. Perhaps there is still hope for other vegetables if Noct can consume beans."

Lightning spoke up for the first time since the mission. "I'm sure… Takka won't mind spilling the _beans_."

Prompto snorted loudly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "That's my girl!" He gave her a high five, in which she returned, pleased with herself.

Noctis stopped walking and simply gave her a flat stare. "I really hate you guys."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _Not my finest drabble, but I really really wanted to add the bean puns (bwahahaha). When I played this side quest, I found the dialogue hilarious. Subtle Lightis._


	16. Cor Leonis

**Cor Leonis**

 _Based on the character, the Commander of the Crownsguard. Also includes a sneak peek into how Lightning could enter the FFXV scene._

 _ **AN:**_ _Lightis where Noctis has unrequited love. Lightning x Cor. It breaks my heart writing this. If you aren't comfortable with this idea, feel free to skip reading it :)_

* * *

Noctis hadn't meant to see it.

He simply meant to walk around the gardens, a break away from the council meetings and his princely duties, as his father would call them. While the Citadel was a large and spacious place, the atmosphere inside the conference rooms was stifling, even at the presence of the windows that reached the ceiling.

He saw her take the elevator up to the gardens, most likely taking her break. Leaving early from a council meeting happened once in a blue moon and he had planned to surprise her as he followed suit. Perhaps a dinner for two, her favorite take-out pizza, some soda, and those cookies that she liked. A date. That sounded good to him. Lightning was a simple girl. Well, a woman now.

The Glaive grew and bloomed beautifully. She would always garner at least one attention of a male as she walked the halls of the Citadel. He remembered talking to a liaison officer, who kept getting distracted by the woman standing by the conference room door.

She was striking, just like her namesake. Beautiful in her own right. A natural.

So he wasn't surprised to see many pursue her. Who wouldn't? She was a strong and confident woman. Loyal and cherished her friends, no matter how few. She had the qualities of leader, sympathetic yet firm, merciful but she was no pushover. She had everything and more.

More often as of late, his thoughts filled of only her. Perhaps it was because the recent topics of the council meetings, while his father gave him a knowing look, were in regard to his future marriage and potential candidates. He paid attention to her presence more, to every action she made, to every word she spoke, and he realized too late that he was already in deep.

He shook his head and after absently following her the last few minutes he found himself hidden behind the large columns by the rooftop entrance. He watched her sit on the wooden bench facing the water fountain. A figure was already sitting there, another man, and Noctis felt his gut twist as he saw who.

 _Cor_ _Leonis_. Commander of the Crownsguard. A close confidant of his father, the King. His swordsmanship teacher when he was a child. A man who he looked up to as an older brother, a father figure almost. A man he admired.

He wanted to ask what the older man was doing here. But he knew the answer as he saw Lightning scoot closer to him.

He wasn't exactly sure what their relationship entailed. All he knew from Lightning was that she respected him, for Cor was the reason why she was in the Kingsglaive and how she found a home in Insomnia. A young, orphaned girl caught in the crossfire of an Imperial invasion in one of the towns beyond the wall. He didn't know all the details, but his father had said Cor took her in when he assisted in helping the refugees.

His mind returned to where they sat, their legs simply touching together. Cor had his arms wide, laid on the back of the bench. His posture uncharacteristically relaxed. Both of their postures were.

He saw their mouths move, the sound muted by the gushing of the fountain. A chilly, evening breeze went by and he watched Lightning clutch her coat.

With a move that had Noctis almost feeling sick, Cor slid his arm from the bench and around her shoulders. The young woman's cheeks were a tint of pink as he moved closer, brushing an awry strand of rose-colored hair away from her face and behind her ear with his other hand.

They moved so naturally and Noctis watched, entranced. Though he knew he was invading their privacy, he couldn't help but want to see what will unfold between the two people who were known to be private, stoic, and quiet. To see them out of their usual behavior, he didn't want to miss this as much as his instincts told him to run away before he gets hurt.

Then with the same hand that brushed her hair, he gripped her chin, his thumb pulling a bit to open her bottom lip. Lightning's eyes fluttered shut as she moved to him, or he moved to her, Noctis couldn't tell because before he knew it they both met for a kiss.

Gentle at first and never breaking apart for air. Lightning held onto the flaps of his jacket, while Cor remained the same with a hand on her chin and the other around her shoulders. Then their kiss grew bolder, a quick separation for air and their lips met once more. His arm slid down to her waist and pulled her flush to his body, his hand moved to her hair by the nape, and her arms now fully around his neck.

The kiss was now obscured by her arm and he could only see the flush on her cheeks and her closed eyes. So Noctis closed his, feeling defeated and a bit bitter. With nothing else left for him to see, he retreated from the rooftop. His chest hurt and felt heavy. He wasn't jealous, no. He was simply sad to see that someone had held Lightning's heart before him. And it hurt because she already held his.

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _I'm like half sobbing and half evil-laughing. I'm sorry Noct. Lightning x Cor sounds pretty good to me. But don't worry, you and Light are always number one to me. This scene was inspired by the anime Citrus (episode 1) lol._


	17. Galdin Quay

**Galdin Quay**

 _Based on the resort area by the beach in FFXV._

 _ **AN:**_ _A peek on Lightning's backstory if she was born in the FFXV universe._

* * *

With bare feet, she stood by the shores of Galdin Quay, watching the sun set down the horizon filled with orange and purple hues. The feeling of wet sand between her toes, the gentle waves caressing her hair and body, and the salty smell of the ocean as she took a deep breath were all reminiscent of her childhood.

Bodhum. A beachfront town very much like Galdin Quay. It was the hotspot tourist destination for people vacationing out of Lucis.

It was a peaceful town. They didn't have much to offer aside from the beach. People led a quiet and quaint life away from the sleepless, bustling metropolis of Lucis. It was a simple town, until the invasion of the Imperial Forces. Their invasion allowed the Empire to move closer to the Crown City, claiming towns within the Cavaugh Region such as Galahd and the people who lived there.

The casualties were many. Everyone in Bodhum were innocent civilians. Including her little sister.

Lightning took another deep breath as she watched the sky bleed more orange with the setting sun. The color reminded her of the day of the invasion.

There were flames everywhere. Houses burned to the ground. Lifeless bodies spread across the village. The simple town was turned into a warzone. A land, in which the day before, was lush with green trees, white sands, and sky blue waters, now turned into a wasteland of fire and blood. The gentle breeze was now filled with screams of despair and lost.

Within the crossfire of Niflheim forces, a young girl stood amidst the chaos. She had her arm wrapped around a body of another girl younger than she. Their pink hair blended with the auburn colors that engulfed the town. With her other arm, she clutched a sword she had just found, pointing the sharp end towards a man who also held a sword.

The man was in a defensive position. His posture was bent, guarded, and his _katana_ ready at his hip. He approached the girl with caution.

"Easy there." He murmured, eyeing the sword in her hand. "Nobody needs to get hurt."

"Haven't you hurt us enough?!" The girl shouted, enraged. The sword in her hand was steady with purpose. "My home, my sister…" She felt the weight of her sister's body around her arm and eased her to the ground. She was already long gone.

"You brought them to us." The girl hissed at the Lucian man. Quick as lightning, she brought her sword forward to charge at him.

"Light?"

The sound of her name brought her back to the present. She turned and saw Noctis making his way to her. With his pants rolled up to his knees, he joined her by the sand and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?" He asked, worried. He noticed her staring at the ocean without moving and he knew she was deep in thought.

She nodded. "Yeah. I was just thinking."

"About what?" He pressed. Whatever she was thinking about, it made her look sad.

"Home."

His eyes widened slightly in understanding. "I'm sure we'll get back after the union of the Prince and Oracle stuff."

Lightning bit her lip, unease settling in her stomach. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. That they won't be able to come back home.

She sighed, knowing it was useless to dwell on insecurities. All she can do is prepare for the worst. "I hope so."

He quickly picked up on her uncharacteristic display of pessimism. "You don't sound convinced."

"I just…" She crossed her arms and sighed again. "I've already lost so much." Her hands went to hug her arms, rubbing as if to comfort herself. "I don't want to lose what I have right now."

Noctis could only watch her. In all honesty, he could never relate to her feelings. Lightning was a woman who had loved and lost, again and again. While she puts up a strong front, her experiences had made her deeply vulnerable, to a point where tragedy became a constant in her life.

He wouldn't let her think that way. He wouldn't let her simply accept the crap life throws at her. She was stronger than that.

"Hey." He squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Look, Lightning. We've known each other for a while now." He felt his ears go warm as he prepared what he was going to say, but it needed to be said. "And I just want you to know, I'm here for you." He struggled to maintain her gaze, resisting the urge to shy away from the intensity of her blue eyes. "You won't lose me. I'll always be by your side, just like you are by mine."

He watched her lips curl into a small smile. "I should be the one saying that."

"Yeah, well, too bad." He chuckled, still a bit embarrassed.

"Thanks, Noct. I needed that." She turned to gaze at the ocean once more, now feeling more calm. She noticed that he always had that effect on people, whether through his actions or his words. He would make a fine King someday and she would be honored to serve at his side when the time comes.

He cleared his throat. "We should get going." As if on cue, his stomach made a rumbling noise. He rubbed the back of his neck, more embarrassed than before. "Ignis said we have a reservation at the restaurant."

They retreated from the waters, their footsteps sloshing and their voices fading. "Really? I thought we were on a tight budget." Lightning said, skeptical that they had enough money to eat at the resort.

"Coctura was nice enough to give us a discount."

The Glaive scoffed. "I really hope you didn't abuse your title."

"Hey, it was all Iggy's idea."

"Hn. Right."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _Ngah, a bit cheesy, but Light needs reassurance that she won't lose her precious person *cries* I thought it'd be really cool to have Bodhum as one of the cities / towns outside of Lucis, like Galahd. Where she's a refugee like Nyx and she found a home in Insomnia *cries more* The man with the katana, if you didn't know, was Cor. I've always envisioned him taking her under his wing and training her. And this fic is not a sequel to the events of last chapter._

 _To the lovely **Guest** : sorry, I'm not gonna kill myself just because you don't like my fic :D I honestly don't care if you're against me or my writing, but spewing words of suicide is something not to be taken lightly. Seems to me you're the one with the sad life. _


	18. Homecoming

**Homecoming**

 _Based on Chapter 14 of FFXV. Slight spoiler._

* * *

Stepping down of Talcott's truck as it arrived in Hammerhead, Noctis gave a grunt that made him sound like an old man, which in a way, he was. Lifting his hand into a wave, he greeted his friends in an almost lackadaisical manner. "Hey."

"'Hey?'" Gladio scoffed, crossing his arms. "That's all you have to say for yourself – after all this time?"

"Noct, it's you!" Prompto, now sporting a goatee, exclaimed in disbelief as he tugged on Ignis' arm. "It's really you!"

"Is it?" The Prince shrugged, keeping casual to try to hold himself together as he reunited with his closest friends. "I hadn't realized."

"Well, well." His advisor chided, a bit teasing. "You kept us waiting."

"Not like I wanted to." Noctis gripped his shoulder, noting the glazed glasses he wore as a result of his injury during the battle in Altissia. "Let's head inside. We've got catching up to do."

As he led the way to Takka's diner, Prompto scurried to his side in panic. "Uh, Noct, wait! Nobody's told her yet since she literally arrived a minute before you did but you might wanna know-"

If Prompto tried to warn him, Noctis decided he didn't try hard enough. In front of him was a strong, familiar back with a head of disheveled pink hair. It seemed she was attending a fellow comrade's injuries, judging by the half naked man sitting with bandages around his arm.

Her name slipped from his lips before he could even think.

"Claire."

Her feminine back stiffened for a moment, then whirled around as fast as her namesake. Her blue eyes were wide and clear like the morning sky. Her hair was in disarray and her face smudged with a bit of dirt, but in his mind she never looked more beautiful.

"Noctis."

She said his name as if her breath was knocked out of her, like she was punched in the gut.

Before he could even say his piece, she took two quick strides and did something he never expected her to.

A crisp sound echoed throughout the diner. Akin to a thunderclap, the people present paused whatever routine they were in the midst of doing. While Gladio and Prompto winced, Ignis did not need his eyes to know what had just happened. The three men behind the Prince gasped through gritted teeth, as if they were the ones stung by Lightning's palm.

The pain was so astounding that the King of Kings was left speechless, not even an utter of distress or pain. For a brief moment, he wondered how his head was still attached to the rest of his body. He could feel his left cheek immediately throb. His beard provided only the slightest cushioning of the blow.

Of course, the pain he was feeling now was nothing compared to what he put her through.

"You bastard." Lightning uttered with raw emotion as her hand turned into a fist. He was sure she was going to knock the living daylights out of him.

"I know." He refused to lift his palm and soothe the ache of his cheek. This was a pain he deserved. And by the way it throbbed, he was positive it was on the verge of glowing red. "I'm sorry it took a while."

"Sorry doesn't cut it." She snapped, her eyes showing the slightest of tears. "You've hurt a lot of people." She took another step, a smaller one, and engulfed him in her arms, taking him in a tight embrace to which he was eager to return. "But I understand. I'm glad you're back."

"Me too." He said against her shoulder, pulling her as tight as he can and he never wanted to let go. "I'm home."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _I too wanted to slap him lol. The Royal DLC changed Chapter 14 a bit, so I might make another version of this. Heads up, it's crunch time in University so I'll only be able to post a drabble every Saturday. Hope y'all enjoyed this short one~_


	19. Crispy Cheese Pizza

**Crispy Cheese Pizza**

 _Based on the recipeh._

 _ **AN:**_ _How Noctis smudges a painting in the Citadel. Inspired by dialogue in Chapter 14 of FFXV._

* * *

 _They stood at the chamber before the throne room. The final battle with Ardyn awaited beyond the doors and the group took a few moments to reminisce memories prior to the start of their journey._

" _I recall a young prince leaving his mark on a painting." Ignis remarked with an amused smirk. "Is it still there?"_

" _I don't think anyone could spot it." Noctis admitted sheepishly, then looked at Lightning, who was shaking her head at the memory. "Had one of my attendants cover it up pretty good."_

He recalled the day it happened. He had been stuck into one of his father's council meetings in the throne room. Having sat in the same chair from noon to evening, with only a few breaks in between, and snacks in the form of afternoon tea and thin sandwiches, Noctis came out of the throne room feeling hungry and exhausted.

Two Glaives were stationed on either side of the door leading to the throne room. He noticed one of them left to accompany a councilmember, while the other was Lightning, who met his gaze as he was the last to exit. "Hey."

"Hey." She greeted back and gave him a once over. "You look like shit."

"Aren't you as eloquent as always." Noctis bantered.

"I swore an oath to always be honest, Your Highness." She made the standard Glaive gesture of a fist over her heart and another on her back.

"Perhaps a bit too honest." He rolled his eyes, swearing she did that to tease him.

"I also swore to look after your well-being." She gave a small smile and Noctis decided she was definitely teasing him. "And to prove it, I got you a present." She walked to behind one of the couches and picked up a large square cardboard box, handing it over to Noctis. "Knowing you, I figured you'd come out starving."

He took the thin box in his hands and opened it. "It's not much." Lightning continued, shoving her hands in the pocket of her frock coat. "I had to order it on short notice. But I saw the food they were bringing in and dinner wouldn't be ready in another hour."

It was as if divine light shone from within the box. Cheese Pizza. And not just any cheese pizza. It was Crispy Cheese Pizza. Just the way he liked it. The crunchy, thin crust with the contrasting texture of gooey cheese and savory tomato sauce was all he wanted.

"Lightning." He lifted his head from the box and gave her a serious look. "Marry me."

The woman scoffed and leaned against the wall between various paintings, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't let the elders hear you say that." She smirked. She knew it was his way of saying thanks.

His hands went to retrieve the first slice and took a bite. He nearly moaned at the flavor. "You're the best."

"I know." She laughed, more amused from how he looked. The Prince of Lucis munching on a cheese pizza was all it took to win him over.

"Don't finish the whole thing. You'll need space for dinner and I'd rather not have King Regis on my case."

Noctis was halfway into his third slice when he snorted. "That an excuse to want a slice?" He teased and waved the piece in front of her.

"You're forgetting who bought that." She pointed out. "I had to use half of my hourly wage for that thing." She shook her head. It wasn't just any kind of pizza, rather it was a gourmet pizza of the highest quality, thus a more expensive price. When the owners heard a take-out request for the Prince, they immediately placed her order as top priority.

He turned the open side of the box to her. He smiled. "You know you don't even have to ask."

Tempting. She'd been standing on guard for hours and her dinner wasn't for another two hours.

He could see her indecision so he waggled the pizza box closer to her face, the scent wafting to her nose. "Come on. It's just the two of us and you did say I can't finish it all."

"Good point." She gave a small smile as she decided to grab a slice.

"So, what's up with you?" Noctis asked in regards to her day. "Anything interesting happened?"

"Nothing really. Just stood here for hours as usual." Lightning shrugged and gestured to the illustrations behind her and above. "I've been looking at the paintings. They're all very interesting. Something to do with a prophecy and a Chosen King."

"Yeah. Dad assigned me a tutor to teach me the history of the royal bloodline." His hand came up to touch one of the paintings absently. "Apparently, I'll become the 114th King. So there's much history to be learnt."

She nodded at his words. Though she can't imagine the burden of the people's lives and the expectations set by his ancestors on his shoulders, Lightning will make sure to help ease that weight. As she was about to tell him a reassuring comment, she became alert as she saw his touch on the painting. "Your hands."

The Prince looked at her in confusion. "What about my hands?"

"Idiot, you placed it on the oil painting." She took his wrist and pulled it off the canvas. "Which means you stained it."

Sure enough, there was an obvious smudge on the painting. No doubt from the Prince's greasy fingers from the pizza.

The Glaive sighed. "I am so dead."

* * *

 _ **AN:** __Bahahaha, I honestly did not know where to go with this. I just really wanted a Lightis story as to how Noct smudged a painting. If you played the game, you might've missed it, but if you pass by the paintings, it'll trigger the dialogue between Noctis and Ignis._

 _Hope you enjoyed this, I had fun writing it :D_


	20. Maagho

**Maagho.**

 _Based on Weskham's bar, also known as the floating market, in Altissia in FFXV._

 _Timeline: Post XV (yes, they all live!). 30 year old Lightis._

 _Tumblr prompt request by blue-water-crystallis._

* * *

"You need a shave." The royal adviser heard the Captain of the Glaives chide the King.

Another time, he heard a few bones popping and Noctis' disapproving voice, to which Ignis assumed he was giving Lightning a massage. "You need to slow it down."

"You need to eat."

"You need more sleep."

With the royal couple stating what the former needed, they neglected what they _both_ needed. So, Ignis had enough of this and decided to intervene.

"What you two need is a _vacation_."

* * *

"I can't believe Iggy did this."

Lightning snorted. "He literally kicked us out of Insomnia."

They were currently on a gondola, traveling to Maagho. Weskham Armaugh was more than happy to shut down his bar for only the two of them.

 _It would be romantic. A candlelit dinner for two._ The older man teased over the phone. _Some wine and delicious food. And you won't even notice I'm there._

A romantic candlelit dinner, huh? Noctis glanced at Lightning who sat at the other end of the gondola, a hand on her chin as she stared at the city, twilight settling over Altissia. There was no doubt that he loved her and she felt the same. But ever since the dawn had returned to Eos, the two had been particularly busy rebuilding Insomnia and essentially, the whole of Eos.

He watched the evening breeze passed, tousling the strands of hair loose from her bun and the soft ruffles of her cream-colored, cotton dress.

"You look nice." He blurted out, heat rising to his ears. He silently thanked for his long hair covering the reddened tips. "I mean, I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier…"

Lightning raised an eyebrow, but the smile on her face tells him she's amused. "Thanks." She fiddled with the end of her dress, then eyed his royal raiment. "You look nice, too."

She smiled wider now, showing a little teeth. His heart raced faster, just when he thought she was already beautiful, she suddenly does that and now the word doesn't do her justice. As if he could fall any further.

His thoughts were interrupted when the gondoller cheerfully announced they have arrived. Noctis stood swiftly, standing at the dock to offer his hand to Lightning. Her warm hand took his and he helped her on her feet.

"Your Majesty. Captain Farron." Weskham greeted warmly, walking towards them. "Welcome."

"Weskham." Noctis shook his hand with a smile. "We're just Noctis and Lightning for tonight."

"No titles." Weskham commented as he gave Lightning a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I like that."

"Thank you for accommodating us." Lightning smiled. "You didn't need to shut down your entire bar."

"Nonsense, it's my pleasure. For all you've done for Eos, this is the least I could do." He gestured towards a lone table with two seats. "Come, come. Take a seat, I'll bring my finest wine."

Settling down, Noctis snorted at the table's set up. "Candlelit dinner."

"For two." Lightning quipped. She stroked the petals of the single rose in the vase. "This is nice."

"Yup." He cleared his throat. Awkward. "Us two. Alone." More awkward.

She nodded. "We've never really had time alone, not after since…" She didn't finish her sentence, but Noctis knew what she would say.

 _Since you came back._

Ten years. To have Lightning and his friends wait for that long, while the world was steadily growing into darkness…

"Here you go." Weskham placed two glasses and poured them red wine. "I'll leave the bottle." He winked and went back to the bar to prepare their food.

"I don't think I've asked before. About what happened while I was, you know…"

Lightning shrugged, knowing what he was asking. "Nothing drastic really. The daemons grew stronger, the darkness continued. I focused my efforts on training new Glaives and missions to help refugees. There was nothing we could have done except wait for your return."

He gritted his teeth and forced out another question. He needed to know. "And everyone?"

She swirled her glass of wine. "There was a time we all drifted apart. Ignis had his crutch, and everyone else had theirs." She turned her eyes on him, blue and sad. "You were the glue that kept us together. It hurt, not having you around. So we distracted ourselves. We met from time to time, but it wasn't the same as before."

He looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry." For all the hurt, pain, and suffering he had caused. For leaving them behind. He realized he didn't deserve it; their friendship, loyalty, and love.

Lightning's warm hand cupped his, giving a light squeeze. "Don't be. It wasn't your fault. Your fate was written long before you were even born. Your leaving was an inevitable."

"For a long time, I was very angry at you." She admitted quietly, her thumb stroked the back of his hand. "You left us to deal with the shit you and your forefathers caused. Everything that happened in my life was because of your bloodline and that damn crystal. I lost my family in a crossfire, I lost my friends and my innocence fighting a war."

"But when I met you, you made up for what I had lost and gave me even more. You gave me a new family, a new home. Which was why I was so _angry_ at you." She whispered fiercely, gripping his hand now. "I thought I couldn't forgive you for taking that away from me. Not for a second time."

With the emotion in her voice, Noctis needed to see her, to face what he had done. So he looked up and met her warm gaze, her blue eyes with unshed tears as she confessed.

"And yet, above everything, even during the darkest of times, there was one thing that stayed true: I loved you." She grasped his hand with her other one, holding tight as if he'd disappear again. "I still do, Noct."

He believed her. Again, he had no doubt. But hearing her say the words made them real.

He took both of her hands, bringing them close to his mouth to place a lingering kiss. "I love you as well, Claire."

She could only stare at him, her mouth slightly open. She always knew, but to see him act on it so intimately made her heart stammer

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Weskham gave them a cheeky smile. "I've brought a _Fettini di Cernia_. And my notoriously expensive _Fine Caviar Canape_ , as I remember you have never tried that before." He took the liberty to pour more wine into their glasses. "Claire. That's a beautiful name."

"Don't let anyone else hear that, Weskham." Noctis warned half-jokingly.

"Of course, what is seen and heard in Maagho, stays in Maagho. Enjoy your dinner and lift a hand if you need anything."

They ate in comfortable silence, a comment about the food here and there. Now that the topic of his decade-long sleep was out of the way, Noctis could almost feel their relationship change, like a flower on the verge of blossoming.

"Wanna dance?" Noctis asked after they both finished their meal and had two full glasses of wine.

"Sure." She smiled, taking his hand once again. This time he placed an arm around her waist and the other hand entwined with hers, while her other hand came up his chest.

They swayed to the jazzy song Weskham played and they were glad he did decide to reserve the bar just for them.

Lightning placed her head by his shoulders, comfortable in their position. "So, what now?"

"What about now?" He asked, slightly confused.

"Our relationship has changed."

 _Ah._ "I say... we're still in the dating stage?"

To which Lightning responded by giving him her _bullshit_ look. As if they hadn't confessed they loved each other.

Noctis laughed. "Technically we've been dating for 13 years."

She rolled her eyes and deliberately stepped on his foot.

" _Ow_ , okay, okay." After a few moments of silence and swaying, he struggled to find the right words. "You know what happens after dating…"

It didn't even take her a second to respond. "Okay."

"Wait. 'Okay,' to what?"

She smiled softly, but her eyes were shining in amusement. "I'll marry you."

He stared at her, then concluded. "You're drunk."

"Please, I have more tolerance than Gladio." She rolled her eyes again. "But why not? You love me, I love you, we're meant to be."

Noctis sighed as if exasperated.

"What?" Lightning frowned, realizing maybe she was too forward. Perhaps Noctis was right and she was _drunk_?

Instead, he groaned and pressed his forehead against hers. "You always steal my thunder."

"Well, I am _Lightning_." She gave cheeky smirk.

"Shut up." He laughed. She could be such a dork at times. "I hate it when you have more balls than I do."

She couldn't resist placing a kiss on his pouting lips. "So, is that a yes?"

"Imagine the history texts from now. 114th King of Lucis was proposed to instead of-"

"What is seen and heard in Maagho, stays in Maagho." Weskham's voice called out from the bar. "And give that lovely woman a damn answer. It better be a _yes_."


	21. The Council

**The Council**

 _Based on the Lucian Council in FFXV._

 _ **AN:** Yay, I'm back. Laptop is fixed, finals are over. Let's get crackin'_

 _Timeskip!Noctis, so they're both ~30 years old. Noctis and Lightning are to be wed. Two certain people are not pleased..._

* * *

The news of the engagement between the King of Lucis and Captain of the Kingsglaive spread like Ifrit's flames throughout the Citadel and the city of Insomnia itself. None could be more pleased than the former King. And none could be more displeased than his two councilmembers, who were also his two closest colleagues, that sat on each of his side.

While breakfast was usually a quiet and calm event, Regis could almost taste the tangible tension in the air. He recalled his son jokingly dubbed their group as the Breakfast Club, which consisted of himself, Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis, both of their fathers, and Cor. Prompto had been added after his initiation into the Crownsguard. And from now on, Lightning will be a permanent fixture in their breakfast gatherings.

Noctis and Lightning entered the dining hall, both looking mature in a black button down and a gray chiffon dress, respectively. Gone was his son's previous hairstyle that was akin to a chocobo's head. Now, he resembled his father's former, younger self and he noted his son's cleanly shaved jaw. The woman beside him stood tall, wearing a floor length dress and her usual hair was swept up into a low, elegant bun with a few strands framing her face. Regis smiled to himself, the two of them have grown well.

"Dad." He greeted his father by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Noctis." His smile grew at the sight of his son.

"Your Highness." Lightning bowed, ever respectful. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Enough of that nonsense, Lightning. We are to be family now. I prefer you call me Regis." He ushered her to sit down and poured her coffee. "Addressing me as your father is also preferable."

"Daaaad." Noctis groaned, while the stoic Glaive blushed lightly and responded. "It's an honour. Perhaps, after we're married."

"Now, that everyone is present." Regis clapped his hands once. "Let us eat."

After a few moments of silence, Gladio's father spoke up. "That is a lovely dress you're wearing, Captain." Clarus complimented as he passed a plate of pastries across to her.

Lightning felt her heart stammer. The night before she expressed to Noctis that while she felt uncomfortable wearing a dress, she knew there would be times where it was required of her. "Thank you, Sir Clarus."

The former Shield eyed the ring from her hand when she took the plate. "It's such a shame, really." Clarus commented with a forlorn sigh. "No woman has matched Gladio in terms of valor and strength." At the mention of his name, the current Shield made an uncharacteristic clang of his fork on his plate. His father continued on, dismissing the sound. "I would rather have a daughter-in-law who can keep my son on his toes."

An unsettling atmosphere engulfed the hall. Prompto chewed on his bacon, eager to see the drama unfold. Cor cleared his throat and fidgeted in his seat. Noctis gave his father an incredulous look that could only be translated to _what-the-fuck_ , while Regis sipped on his coffee, unperturbed.

And aside from the former King, nobody expected a new challenger to enter the scene.

"Ignis has high admiration for Captain Farron." The current head of the Scientia family commended, clear and strong. At the same time, the King's royal advisor spluttered around his mug of Ebony coffee, some splattering on his glasses. "He even said so himself that you are his intellectual equal, whether in regards of politics or battle strategies."

Prompto sat up in his seat, wishing for a bowl of popcorn because this was just too good. Lightning couldn't meet anyone's eye and settled on staring at her plate of food. Noctis glared at his father, eyes pleading him to stop this nonsense. But as his father continued to sip his coffee in a smug manner, Noctis knew he would feed fuel to the fire.

"And you, Cor?" Regis asked lightly, ignoring the sound of the Immortal's loud gulp. "Have you given thoughts of settling down?"

"N-no, Your Highness." Cor responded stiffly. "I have devoted my life to serving you and King Noctis."

"And you will extend this service to your Queen, I'm sure." Regis deliberately chose his words and took great delight at the stiffness of his two colleagues.

"Of course." Ever dutifully bound, the Crownsguard Commander replied swiftly. "Although, she may not need my service as Lightning is more than capable of defending herself." He looked at the woman in question, who seemed to want to bury herself in a hole. He couldn't blame her. "She is Captain of the Kingsglaive not only by mere title, but it is proven through prowess."

Noctis knew what his father was doing. Everyone knew Lightning's reputation as a strong, confident, and extraordinary woman and that didn't need saying. His father looked too much like a cat that got the cream, like a victor who received all the spoils.

The former King of Lucis was showing his friends' fathers that Lightning was already taken as his daughter-in-law.

With an exasperated sigh, Noctis stood up abruptly to gain their attention. Enough was enough. "Alright, this is ridiculous. I'm not gonna sit here and eat while the three of you squabble over my _wife-to-be_." He took Lightning's arm and she stood up eagerly.

He gestured to one of the servants. "We'll be having breakfast in our room. Please see to it, thank you." Then he turned to the table and addressed the three fathers. "We won't be coming back until you settle this pettiness. I will see you later at the meeting." With the final word, the couple exited the dining hall with quick strides.

As soon as the doors closed, Prompto bursted into cackles and tears while Gladio and Ignis sighed, looking at their respective fathers and shook their heads.

* * *

 _ **AN:** HAHAHA I couldn't help it, I'm sorry (not really). Noctis is bae for protecting his bae. Lightning deserves much love and is adorable when embarrassed. Prompto loves the drama. Cor is a nervous sweet potato. Gladio and Ignis are just like "stahp Dad, I can't even." Regis is "I don't give a fuck, Imma have good looking babies." The two dads are like "she's perf and ships them with their sons."_


	22. Through a Rose-Tinted Windshield

**Through a Rose-Tinted Windshield**

 _Based on the collection of "broken car" side quests._

 _ **AN:**_ _Title is an actual side quest name, go figure :D And I don't claim to know cars hahaha enjoy~ This is also a sort-of sequel to_ ** _The Ever Regal Regalia_** _(chapter 6 here in Animus)._

 _My contribution to_ _ **lightisdays2k**_ _, head over to tumblr to see some amazing lightis fanworks this weekend!_

* * *

"Hey, looks like someone needs help." Prompto exclaimed as he spotted a man from afar, waving his arms frantically at the side of the road. Beside him was a mint green car with smoke coming out of the hood.

"Let's help him out." Noctis said.

"Leave him." Gladio remarked from behind his book. "For all we know, he could be a psycho."

"Or he might actually need the help." Prompto argued back.

The Shield sighed. "If this guy kills any of you, don't say I didn't warn you."

"You've been watching too much of those hitchhiking movies, Gladio." Ignis commented as he pulled the Regalia at the side.

"Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry." Gladio defended himself and turned to the Glaive beside him. "What do you think, Light?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and took a moment before answering. "I think you should do your job and protect the Prince if this man does turn out to be a psycho."

Prompto snickered, while Gladio shook his head. "What's a guy gotta do to get respect around here?"

"Maybe if you stop being paranoid for one second?" Noctis suggested with sarcasm as he got out of the car. He approached the man, shoving his hands in his jacket. "Hey, need any help?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" The young man exclaimed in relief. "I've been stuck here for hours and nobody's stopped to help me."

"No prob." The Prince shrugged. "Mind if I take a look?"

"Sure, go ahead." The young man nodded eagerly and gestured to his car. "I'm a new driver so I don't really know much about cars."

With a repair kit in hand, Noctis went to survey under the hood. After a few minutes of tweaking whatever parts were necessary and appropriate, he called out to the man. "Alright, I think that should do it. Why don't you give it a try?"

The man went behind the wheel and tried to start the car, which unfortunately did not as it made clicking sounds. "Nada, sorry, man."

Noctis stared at the hood in confusion. He ran a mental check, he was sure he'd done everything right.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Lightning. "I think I know the problem." She said and approached the hood, inspecting it quickly and nodded to herself. "We need to jump start the car battery."

"Ignis." She called out. "Do you mind moving the Regalia a bit closer?"

The royal advisor did as told. With the car closer, she popped open the trunk and found what she was looking for. A set of jumper cables from Cindy. She moved to the front and opened the hood as well, then gave Ignis a set of instructions.

Noctis watched the woman work and wondered when she learned about cars. No doubt from her time spending with Cindy and she always was a quick learner.

She went to the young man's car and spoke to him, also giving him instructions, and attached the cables to his car's battery. "It should only take a couple of minutes." She told the young man. "Then try to start your car." Then she returned to the Regalia, telling Ignis to turn on the engine.

"Who is _she_?" The young man asked in awe, watching her walk away through the windshield. Noctis didn't miss the way the stranger eyed her hips or the way she leaned down to attach the cables. The young man's reactions reminded him of Lightning cleaning the _Regalia. There's just something hot about women and cars_ , Prompto had said. Noctis felt annoyed at his ogling, so he settled on not revealing her name.

He moved to lean on the hood, blocking his view and crossed his arms. "A close friend of mine."

"Dude." He gave Noctis a serious look. "She's a babe."

The Prince didn't need somebody stating things he already knew. He decided to change the subject before going any further and, judging by the way he spoke, he asked. "I reckon you're from Galdin?"

He grinned. "Born and raised." And unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stray his thoughts from the Glaive. "Seriously though, who is she? Beach babes aren't nearly as toned!"

It took all of Noctis' control not to groan. Oh, Eos, was this man seriously checking her out? "Like I said, a close friend." He nearly snapped at the man.

"Chill, dude. I was just admiring." He gave Noctis a cheeky grin. "She's obviously taken. My bad."

The young man started his engine and it roared to life. After unattaching the cables and a multitude of genuine thanks from the stranger, Noctis was more than happy to let him go on his way.

"You okay?" Lightning asked, getting into the Regalia. "You look like you got a stick shoved up your ass."

"Yeah, it's nothing." Noctis slammed the door a little bit too hard. "Just thought that Gladio was right."

"Right about what?" His Shield questioned.

"We should've left him to suffer."

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _Jealous Noct ftw!_

 _And heads up, laptop is not working again, ugh so I've been switching between on google docs on my phone and my family-shared PC._


	23. Radiance

**Radiance**

 _Based on Lightning's Theme in Lightning Returns OST._

 _Ages: Serah - 15 ; Noct & Light - 18._

 _Setting: Brotherhood Timeline; Insomnia_

* * *

 ** _Tumblr prompt by_** _ **pikachugirl199**_ _ **6:**_ _For the Lightis Drabble "Noctis meeting Serah for the first?"_

 _ **AN:**_ _I'm sorry for disappearing for ~2 months. Life happens, problems arise, adulting, you know all that bullshit. Anyways, this prompt evolved from a drabble hahaha I needed to do it justice, so hope y'all enjoy it and thank you so so much pikachugirl1996! (Sorry for the oh so late fic, there are also other prompts I haven't forgotten)._

* * *

Eager that school was finally over, the Prince picked up his things and walked out to the school entrance where Ignis always picks him up. With the Regalia and his royal adviser in sight, all he needed to do was cross the courtyard to meet him. However, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar shade of pink, sitting in one of the benches, head down with a book in hand.

Purely by instinct, he approached her and called her name almost too excitedly. _She was back_. "Lightni-." When the person lifted her head, he realized it _wasn't_ her.

"Uh, s-sorry, I thought you were someone else."

If it weren't for his moment of tunnel vision, he would have clearly seen that it wasn't her. This young girl wore a different uniform, a familiar one as it was the female uniform of the junior high school he attended. Aside from the pink hair, he couldn't deny other similarities, such as her facial features and eyes, reminding him that this person was no doubt related to Lightning.

"Prince Noctis! I'm actually here to see you." She immediately closed her book, stuffing it into her bag and stood up, apparently unfazed by his mistake. "I'm her sister, Serah."

"Sister?" He blurted out in surprise, but quickly apologized for his rudeness. "Ah, sorry. I had no idea Light had one."

Serah smiled, again seemingly unperturbed. However, she smiled due to him calling her sister's shortened name. She even gave a tinkling laugh. "Oh, it's alright." She waved her hand. "I'm sure she had her reasons."

"Right. So, what brings you here today?" He asked awkwardly.

"Oh, well." Serah's cheeks brightened. "I just wanted to look at the school since I'll be attending here next year." Then with a shy smile, she continued meekly. "But, I was also hoping to run into you. Now's a good time than ever, since Light's on a mission, and she rather gets overprotective…"

 _Ah, she wants to talk…_

And, as always, Ignis is there to save the day.

"Your Highness. May I suggest a detour of afternoon tea?"

* * *

After a rather awkward car drive to one of the cafes in Downtown Insomnia, the two finally settled in comfortably, drinks and snacks in hand.

"Oh, I'd much rather pay for mine." Serah scrambled as the Prince paid, getting two slices each of Kupoberry Cheesecake and Golden Chocobo Tart and some iced tea.

"No, no, I dragged you here, this is my treat."

Serah sighed. "Thank you, Prince Noctis. I'll repay you someday, I promise."

He knew she would make do with her promise, no doubt. She was Lightning's sister after all. Always keeping promises, and can be adorably stubborn at times.

"Enough of that prince stuff, please." He groaned and waved his hand as they sat down on a table situated in a cozy corner, near the windows by the busy streets. "Just call me Noct."

"Noct it is then." She fiddled with her fingers. "Hm, where to start… I didn't plan this far ahead, all I really wanted to do was meet you in person."

"Well, why did you want to?"

"I guess… I wanted to see the person my sister talks so much about."

Now if eyebrows could fly off of one's face, Noctis' would have been halfway to Tenebrae. "She talks about me? Like a lot?"

Serah laughed. "Well, relatively speaking, this is Light we're talking about. She mentions you quite frequently."

His heart stammered. "About what?"

"Oh, she has a ton of nicknames for you. Let's see… 'Pompous Prince,' 'Chocobo Turd,' 'Sleeping Beauty,' oh the list goes on."

He groaned again. "That was _not_ what I was expecting."

"Well, I take it as a good sign."

Oh, he was sure she was teasing him. "How?!"

"It's one of her ways of showing affection. Don't worry, you're not alone, she calls Snow an idiot all the time." Serah's blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

Noctis scowled, he didn't feel any better to be on the same level as Snow Villiers.

"Anyways, I knew you weren't really one of those things, but I wanted to see the kind of person you were, the real person behind the social media. And I'm not disappointed, just from our brief interaction, I know you're a person who values friendship, and you don't like to use your title. You want people to see the real you. I've got you all figured out." She sang the last part, taking a sip of her iced tea.

He was rather stunned. He'd met this girl not even an hour ago and she had him down like a book. She's definitely Light's sister.

"I'm glad you are Light's friend."

He somehow felt relief from what she said. To be accepted by Lightning's sister was a big deal.

"Hey, Serah. Can I ask you something, about Light?"

"I'll try to answer as best as I can."

"Light's always been… guarded, closed off. She only chooses to become close to a select few. Why is that?"

Serah sighed. "I'm sure you know how we became citizens of Insomnia?"

"I'm aware that you resided in Bodhum and had to become refugees when Niflheim invaded the region."

"Yes, that is part of it… but even before that, our life in Bodhum wasn't all that great. Our father died when I was very young, we don't know what happened, and a few years after that, our mother passed away as well. So you see, please don't blame her for being cold and unfeeling, I know you understand but people judge right away. They don't know what she's been through."

He had to admit, his first impression of Lightning was unlikable.

"Anyways, we didn't have relatives, it was only us two and she had to provide for us to survive." She looked out the window, her eyes looking distant. "I remember clearly. On the day we buried our mother, there was a tropical storm, lightning flashed before our eyes and that was the moment she changed her name."

A shocking revelation. Lightning wasn't her true name… so what was her real name? As much as he wanted to ask, he had to respect her decision of changing her name. Perhaps over time, she'll tell him… or maybe he'll never know at all. He had no right to ask, no right to know: who was he? A Prince born with a silver spoon, everything given, a life of luxury, carefree, where his greatest problem was when he could take a nap or play video games. No wonder Lightning was such a hardass to him, he knew nothing of hardship, self-determination, and independency.

The only person to give that privilege, of knowing her true name, is Lightning herself.

"I'm not… a good person."

"What do you mean, silly? Yes, you are."

"No. Light's right. I'm lazy, irresponsible, spoiled. I'm a picky eater, I take naps when I shouldn't, I go to the arcade, neglect my studies… but, I'm doing better. After meeting Lightning, I see the hard work she does everyday. Going to school and being a Glaive. She motivates me to be better."

Serah nodded and giggled. "Yup. That's it, that's the Lightning effect." She played with the straw of her drink, stirring it around. "She's grown to the name, almost as if she was born with it. It's rather fitting. The radiance of her presence just sparks something within us; whether it's determination, hope, strength… She inspires me."

She smiled, the afternoon light shining ethereally on her face, and Noctis can't help but wonder if Lightning would have that same bright, radiant smile.

* * *

Perched on one of the many leather sofas in the Citadel Lobby and having returned from his meeting with Lightning's sister, he had some things to think through.

He was rather stunned. Serah was optimistic, bright, and happy - almost a complete opposite of Lightning. And their conversations left him at perceiving Lightning… in a new light.

Now he understood why she resorted to becoming a Glaive. Not by choice, but as a means to survive. Orphaned at a young age, she and her sister became refugees. Noctis wasn't ignorant, he was aware that outsiders were shunned and discriminated. No wonder she grew a hard shell around her heart.

And with that, he reached a decision. He'll work harder, become a better Prince, a future leader.

For the second time that day, another flash of pink at the corner of his eyes. Without even a glance, Noctis came up to her and engulfed her in an embrace, grateful for her presence once more. He sighed, it felt like she was gone for three months, rather than three days.

"Uh, hey, Noct." Lightning said against his shoulder, hesitantly responding to his hug by loosely wrapping her arms around his waist. "Something wrong?"

"No. I'm just glad your home, Light."

Maybe it was his imagination, but he swore he felt her arms tighten.

"... Me too."


End file.
